Warding off germs and infection

What's the best way to stay disease-free? Prevent infections. You can prevent many infections and avoid spreading infections by taking simple steps like these:

• Stay away from people who are sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Don't touch your face.
• Stay home if you're sick.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are touched often.
• Stay away from germy, called contaminated, food and water.

You also can prevent infections through:

• Hand-washing. Hand-washing is one of the easiest and best ways to protect yourself from germs and most infections. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Wash your hands before making or eating food, after coughing or sneezing, after changing a diaper, and after using the toilet.

  When there's no soap and water, alcohol-based hand-sanitizing gels with at least 60% alcohol can help protect you.

• Vaccines. Vaccination is the best way to prevent certain diseases. As researchers learn more about what causes disease, the number of disease-preventing vaccines grows. Many vaccines are given in childhood. But adults still need vaccines to prevent some illnesses, such as tetanus, influenza and COVID-19.
• Medicines. Some medicines offer short-term protection from certain germs. For example, taking an anti-parasitic medicine might keep you from getting malaria if you travel to or live in a high-risk area.