Germs and Hygiene Summary When you cough or sneeze, you send tiny germ-filled droplets into the air. Colds and flu usually spread that way. You can help stop the spread of germs by Covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough. Sneeze or cough into your elbow, not your hands. Cleaning your hands often – always before you eat or prepare food, and after you use the bathroom or change a diaper Avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth Hand washing is one of the most effective and most overlooked ways to stop disease. Soap and water work well to kill germs. Wash for at least 20 seconds and rub your hands briskly. Disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers also work well. Specifics Body Hygiene Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clean Hands Save Lives: Emergency Situations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Hygiene Etiquette: Coughing and Sneezing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Steps of Healthy Swimming: Protection against Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Your Microbes and You National Institutes of Health Teenagers Body Odor (For Girls) Children’s Hospital Boston Hand Washing Nemours Foundation Why Should I Care about Germs? Nemours Foundation Find an Expert Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Array Cleaning supplies and equipment Cleaning to prevent the spread of germs Isolation precautions Personal protective equipment Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Disinfection National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Hand Hygiene National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Handwashing National Institutes of Health Women Douching Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Prevention and Risk Factors Eight Ways to Guard Against Germs in Everyday Life Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Hand Washing: Do’s and Dont’s Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Stopping the Spread of Germs at Home, Work and School Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Statistics and Research Five Foul Things That Are Also Good for You National Institute of General Medical Sciences Games Food Detectives: Fight Bac Partnership for Food Safety Education Related Issues Germs and Staying Healthy Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Hand Sanitizers Carry Unproven Claims to Prevent MRSA Infections Food and Drug Administration Start Here Germs: Learn How Germs Work and What You Can Do to Protect Yourself Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Hygiene Fast Facts: Information on Water-Related Hygiene Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ounce of Prevention Keeps the Germs Away: Seven Keys to a Safer Healthier Home Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Understanding Microbes in Sickness and in Health National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Children How Often Do Children Need to Take a Bath? American Academy of Dermatology What Are Germs? Nemours Foundation Why Do I Have to Wash My Hands After Using the Bathroom? Nemours Foundation Why Is Hand Washing So Important? (For Parents) Nemours Foundation Journal Articles Germs and Hygiene Latest News Health Care Workers Skipped Hand Washing One-Third of The Time HealthDay Cities May Have Distinct Microbial ‘Citizens,’ Too HealthDay Your Healthy Skin Germs Stay Put, Despite Cleaning HealthDay
