Respiratory Illness Prevention Published Jan. 2, 2013 379th Expeditionary Medical Group SOUTHWEST ASIA -- It is that time of year: football, holidays and cold/flu season. You can prevent getting sick this holiday with a few simple techniques. To understand how to prevent respiratory illnesses, we must first learn how it gets to you in the first place. Respiratory illnesses are spread when droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person make their way into your mouth, nose or eyes. The germs in these microscopic droplets can either float through the air or land on a surface such as desks or doorknobs where they live up to two hours or longer. Because they can live on commonly touched surfaces for so long, it is critical these surfaces be cleaned often. As it is almost impossible for you to go for a length of time without touching one of these surfaces and getting these germs on your hands, it is extremely important that you wash your hands frequently. Soap and water are not always readily available, so it is a good habit to carry hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer works best when your hands are not visibly soiled. If you can see the dirt, you need to wash your hands before sanitizing. The average person touches their face about 16 times an hour. They have usually touched a keyboard, doorknob or other surface before they touch their face. That means their hands likely have germs on them that can be easily transferred to their face, mouth, nose or eyes. This exposure leads to infection and the flu. Challenge yourself to reduce the number of times you touch your face a day to help lower your chances of getting sick. Following these simple guidelines can drastically help reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses: Cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve, not your hand Sneeze or cough into your sleeve if a tissue is unavailable. Do not cough or sneeze into your hand. If you do, wash your hands immediately. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth The flu viruses are easily transferred to your face by touch which can lead to infection and the flu. Wash your hands Handwashing is the single-most important way to prevent the spread of illness. Wash after using the bathroom, sneeze or cough and before eating or touching anything you might put in your mouth. (Hand sanitizer with alcohol may be used if no running water is available, but soap and water are best). Avoid close contact Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from infection. If you have an ill roommate, make sure to clean common surfaces in the room to prevent further spread. Stay home when you are sick If possible, stay home from work and social events when you are sick to help prevent others from getting sick. Increase cleaning of workplaces Ensure you are keeping your work areas clean. Focus cleaning efforts to common use areas (breakrooms, restrooms, doorknobs, desks, keyboards, computer mouse, etc.) Don't forget your cell phones or iPad Cell phones are covered in germs. Be sure to clean with an alcohol-based cleanser as often as possible. If you have any questions contact the Public Health Office at 437-8854.