How to Prevent Infections?

Introduction:

Infectious diseases can be defined as illnesses caused by harmful pathogens (organisms) such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and prions. These organisms get into the body from outside. Infectious diseases can spread from one to another by contaminated food, water, or soil, insect or animal bites, or exposure to organisms in the environment. Infectious diseases include the flu, strep throat, COVID-19, measles, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and salmonella. In addition to maintaining good overall health, there are some simple steps everyone can take at home, school, or workplace to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

How to Prevent Infections?

Several simple ways can help reduce the risk of infectious diseases and even prevent many diseases altogether. However, while each step helps reduce the risk of getting and spreading infectious diseases, there is often no single effective way to prevent disease. Therefore, it is essential to practice many habits to reduce the risk.

• Get Vaccinated: Vaccines help reduce the risk of acquiring infectious diseases by training the immune system to identify and fight infections from harmful organisms. Even though people still get sick after getting vaccinated for it, the symptoms are usually mild than they could have been without the vaccination. Vaccines are available for infectious diseases, including hepatitis A and B, chickenpox, COVID-19, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, human papillomavirus (HPV), influenza, and other infections.

• Safe Food Handling: The kitchen harbors a lot of germs. Therefore, safe food handling habits are vital to preventing certain infectious diseases. These include:

  • Always wash your hands with soap and water before and after preparing food.

  • Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables.

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  • Cook meats to a proper temperature to ensure safe food.

  • Wash utensils and chopping boards thoroughly with soap and water after use.

  • Ensure that all food is cooked to the proper temperature.

  • Avoid drinking untreated water.

  • Avoid drinking unpasteurized milk.

  • Wipe down counters where the raw food was put.

  • After meals, keep leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

• Eat Healthy Diet: A strong immune system helps fight off certain infections. People who take a balanced diet rich in nutrients and low in processed foods and red meat have a strong immune system and a reduced risk of infectious diseases.

• Clean and Disinfect Surfaces: Always keep the rooms, especially kitchens and bathrooms, clean because they are more likely to have bacteria or germs. Wash the counters thoroughly with soap and water, then clean with disinfecting wipes. Always wear gloves when using a disinfectant to clean the surfaces and wash hands afterward.

• Washing Hands: One can easily pick up germs by touching unclean surfaces or objects commonly touched by others, such as gas pumps, doorknobs, counters, and touch screens. People often get the germs on their hands and then touch their faces. This can be avoided by washing hands with soap and water for about 20 seconds and then drying them with a clean towel.

• Using a Hand Sanitizer: Sanitizing hands is a good way to fight off infections when soap and water are unavailable. Choose hand sanitizers with at least 60 % alcohol and no methanol, which can be harmful. However, hand sanitizers cannot be a substitute for hand washing; it does not eliminate all types of germs and is ineffective for greasy hands. Also, ensure not to use too much sanitizer as it can create a film layer on the hands that may trap germs.

• Avoid Sharing Personal Items: Sharing personal articles like shaving razors, towels, and nail cutters can also spread germs and illnesses. Avoid contact with people already being infected with an infectious disease. Also, avoid sharing eating utensils and drinking glasses.

• Maintain Physical Distance: Keeping physical distance by staying at least six feet away from people other than the household. Doing so also helps keep an individual away from air droplets released when someone sneezes, coughs, or talks.

• Wear a Mask: It is recommended to wear masks when going outdoors to fight contagious illnesses, such as COVID-19. Surgical masks are effective, but they cannot be reused. Cloth masks with multiple layers help block up to 70 % of droplets and are also reusable and washable. Ensure to wash hands immediately after touching the inside of the mask after wearing it.

• Practice Safe Sex: Practice safer sex by wearing condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

• Get Rid of Pests: Insects and rodents can carry harmful organisms, so keeping them out of the house is important to the family's health. Ensure that food and garbage cans are properly covered and holes or cracks in the house's walls are sealed.

• Stay Home When You Are Sick: Avoid going to work, colleges, or schools if having symptoms of infectious diseases, such as vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Instead, stay at home to stop spreading the infection to others. In addition, keep the distance at least 1 meter away from other family members to prevent them from getting sick.

• Travel Wisely: If traveling out of the country, speak to a doctor about necessary vaccinations or medications.

• Ventilate Home: Poorly ventilated rooms can increase the spread of infections. Open windows help get fresh air circulating in the homes. Ensure the system is maintained and the filters are cleaned for air conditioning or coolers.

• Use Mosquito Repellents: To reduce the risk of mosquito or mosquito bites, use bug repellents. In addition, wear long sleeves and trousers to cover the skin in the woods or areas with long grass.

• Avoid swimming in water that can be contaminated.

Conclusion:

Infectious diseases are caused by harmful pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites) entering the body through various modes. While some infectious diseases are minor, some can be life-threatening. Fortunately, several simple things can help reduce the risk of getting and spreading these infections.