8 Ways to Prevent Infectious Disease Spread

As the coronavirus continues to plague American society, and the world at large, many individuals wear masks to contain it. They wash their hands often, and they practice social distancing. The scientific community agrees that this is the best way to prevent the spread, and ample evidence exists that these techniques work.

It's likely that medical experts will come up with a vaccine at some point. In the meantime, though, the crisis has led some people to consider hygiene and their overall health practices like never before.

In this article, we'll be talking about some ways that you can prevent infectious disease spread. It goes beyond the coronavirus. There are lots of different infectious diseases, and these practices can keep you safe from them.

Don't Share Personal Items

To avoid spreading infectious diseases, one of the best things you can do is keep your personal items to yourself. The list might include:

• Your toothbrush
• A comb
• Your razor blade

You also won't want anyone besides yourself to use your utensils at a meal. Don't drink out of the same cup or wine glass. If you smoke a cigarette, don't share it with someone else.

The more you're able to avoid sharing personal items with other people, the less chance that you will pass infectious disease on to them, and vice versa.

Don't Travel When You're Ill

If you feel sick, and you planned on traveling, try not to do so. If there's any way that you can push back that business meeting or family trip, you're doing yourself a favor, not to mention anyone around you. Avoid traveling if:

• You're running a fever
• You're having hot and cold flashes
• You're coughing and sneezing a lot

The thing about travel is that it's probably going to expose you to many other people. If you're sick and you're in an enclosed space with them, like on an airplane, you might infect others if you're careless with your sneezing and coughing. It's far better to put off the trip if that's in any way possible.

Always Practice Safe Sex

You can spread and contract infectious diseases in other ways besides coughing and sneezing. If you're sexually active, always practice safe sex. Condoms stop infectious disease spread very effectively.

Some individuals elect not to use them because they don't like the way they feel, or they think catching an STD won't happen to them. The way that you have to look at it is that every time you don't use a condom with a partner, you're rolling the dice.

There are many highly unpleasant STDs, and you won't don't want to take the chance of getting any of them.

Hot Zones Awareness

There are always going to be “hot zones” in your house, where it's easy to catch or transmit infectious diseases. The bathroom and kitchen are two of the most prominent ones.

These are rooms in your house where there's a lot of bacteria. Infectious agents congregate there. Make sure to clean them often, especially if you've been cooking with raw chicken or something along those lines.

You can wipe down the counters and other contact zones with a sterile wipe once every day, or at least a couple of times per week.

Avoid Physical Contact

Humans crave physical contact. You want to hug your loved ones, kiss them, and be near to them. You also may want to high five your friends, give them a fist bump, or shake their hand when you see them.

You can't go through life never touching anyone, but if you have reason to suspect that you're sick, that's the time to keep to yourself. Tell your family members that you think you're coming down with something, and to avoid physical contact for a couple of days.

If you can work from your home, then do that. Many people ignore sickness early warning signs, and they pass along what they have to everyone in the office.

Use the Medication Your Doctor Prescribes

If you see a doctor because you're ill, you need to follow the treatment plan they set out for you. For instance, maybe they give you an antibiotic scrip.

You need to take those antibiotics until the prescription is gone, even if you're feeling better before you've taken all of them. Just because you feel like you're recovering does not mean that whatever you have is out of your system yet.

Get Vaccinated

There is an insidious anti-vaxxer movement taking place in the world today. It's extremely harmful, as every adult who refuses vaccines can potentially contract diseases and spread them.

As a society, we have done well to nearly eradicate many infectious diseases that once plagued us. If you won't get a vaccination or refuse to vaccinate your kids, then you're not just potentially harming yourself and your offspring, but you're also endangering the rest of the population.

There are lots of silly conspiracy theories about vaccines, but they're nonsense. A vaccine might save your life, but it's not a mind control method or any of the other outlandish notions that proliferate these days.

Wash Your Hands Multiple Times Per Day

Washing your hands frequently is one of the simplest and most basic things that you can do to stop infectious disease spread. It helps prevent the coronavirus and countless other bugs that you might otherwise contract.

You should be sure to wash your hands after you use the restroom, or if you've been cooking. It's also appropriate to wash them if you've been using public transportation or if you've been in a store or anywhere else that the public frequents. Wash your hands before eating, too.

There are many infectious diseases and ways of spreading them, but there are just as many ways to prevent the spread. If you're sensible and follow the precautions we mentioned, you can likely avoid getting sick.

That's good news for you and everyone else in your life with whom you come into contact.