Keep yourself safe indoors, from harmful germs, in 5 easy steps!

Germs are everywhere, that is the truth. Many of these micro-organisms are beneficial for humans and the environment, some are harmful. A higher degree of harmful germs in your surroundings, leads to contamination and can be bad for you. However there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of getting infected by these harmful germs.

Clean hands can cut down risk multi-folds:

Your hands carry germs at most times, that spreads predominantly through touch. Hence it is important to sanitize every now and then, especially if your hands may have come in contact with contaminated surfaces.

Practice good hand hygiene, keep them clean and dry, because germs spread more easily on damp surfaces. Yes, people usually wash their hands, but forget to dry them.

Avoid touching your face or eyes with your hands, and avoid shake-hands. Before and after using your hands ensure you keep them clean, either by using soap and water or a good hand sanitizer.

Always carry a good hand sanitizer with you at all times. In case you don't find soap and water, you could always use the sanitizer.

Consume food that is healthy and cooked well:

This is the time to eat healthy, and what will boost your immunity. You should eat a lot of veggies, and immunity building food like Almonds, yogurt, ginger, garlic, spinach, citrus fruits among others. 

Rinse vegetables and fruits well, multiple times with fresh water before using them. Clean your hands with soap and water thoroughly before preparing food.

Cook your food well before consuming it. If you are using packed food, look out for a 'use by' date or 'keep refrigerated' on the label. By storing food safely in reduced temperatures, you can reduce the risk of germ contamination. It is important to:

• Maintain right temperature ( between 0°C and 5°C )
• Keep the refrigerator door closed
• Wait for food to cool down, before you put it in the fridge

 Avoid consuming leftovers stored for more than two days. You could always   check before consuming it.When you're eating outside at a barbecue or picnic,   use a cool box or cool bag.

Clean and disinfect commonly used surfaces:

It is important to keep your surroundings clean. Cleaning with a good soap and fresh water, or an effective sanitizer should be good enough but do it often. Don't allow water to collect. You should disinfect your kitchen and bathroom regularly, as these places tend to be damp, encouraging collection of microbes.

You can use certified disinfectant to clean the surfaces mainly keep your surroundings free of harmful germs. Did you know that influenza causing germs can actually live on surfaces for up to 48 hours. So frequent disinfecting is very important.

Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hand:

Covering a cough or sneeze with your hand may seem like good manners but it goes a bit beyond that.You should avoid coughing or sneezing into your hand whenever possible.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or kerchief when sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose. Discard used tissues in the trash as soon as you can.
When you cough or sneeze into your hands, you can transferring bacteria/germs/viruses from that hand to other surfaces you touch.

Don’t share personal items or use somebody's:

Germs can remain on surfaces of commonly used objects, like mobile phones, pens, masks, helmets, clothing..etc for hours or even days. Avoiding touching somebody else’s items, for you can get infected by them.

Avoid sharing items that can come in contact with saliva or other body fluids.

A study undertaken in the US found that a mobile phone contain 10 times more the bacteria than most toilet seats. So remember, every touch matters.

Care to share these considerations to help others. Stay protected, and keep your family protected.

This article is for infotainment and not meant as medical advise. Do contact your doctor for any medical related advise.