Can You Get the Flu Again From Your Own Germs
What started with a few sniffles and a sneeze from someone who crossed your path could unleash mayhem, leading to days or weeks of missed piece of work, doctor visits, and canceled social events. It goes without proverb that no one likes to get sick, and there are some germ-ridden situations you merely can't avoid, such equally having a child in daycare or sitting on a plane next to a traveler who'due south hacking the whole time. But you tin avoid sure situations that make you more than vulnerable to catching the common common cold, influenza, and other illnesses.
Using an ATM
"ATMs are hotbeds for germs and viruses," says Jock Lawrason, Doctor, pulmonary medicine physician at Nantucket Cottage Hospital in Massachusetts. Scout a popular ATM for 15 minutes, and you'll see the number of people who affect the buttons. If any of those people were recently ill, they tin pass on their germs for cold and influenza for weeks afterward. "The influenza virus, for example, can stay on an inanimate object for 1 to two days, and strep pneumonia can last anywhere from two to three and a half weeks," Dr. Lawrason says. "The longer objects are touched without being washed, the higher the risk of someone getting sick," he said. But you tin take some precautions. "You should be conscious to wash your hands after using them," said Dr. Lawrason, and "keeping hand sanitizer around would be the all-time way to ensure the germs are killed immediately after exposure."
Touching Your Own Stuff
You may be cautious about touching a grocery cart at the supermarket to avert a instance of the sniffles, only you may exist more likely to get ill from your own things. "People are susceptible to germs that can make them ill everywhere and from everything," says Alexander Tomich, RN, MSN, managing director of infection command at Loyola University Health Arrangement, in Maywood, Sick. "Your cell telephone, machine keys, bag or briefcase, gym pocketbook, kids' backpacks, money, and your pets are all germ-infested," he says. Non to mention the germs on your ain skin — the more than than 200 different common cold viruses can live on you lot for a few hours.
Being in Crowds
Want to avoid flu or that stomach bug going around? Avoid crowded places. "Big gatherings of people will always heighten a person's chances of getting sick," Lawrason says. "The exposure to influenza and other viruses is greater, and shaking a lot of hands or being near someone who is sneezing or coughing volition raise your odds of becoming ill." Viruses like common cold and flu are specially likely to run through offices and daycares because many people are gathered there, interacting with one another, simply they're not the only germy congregating spots. Grocery stores, hotels, and the gym are also particularly germ-infested, Lawrason says.
Staying Indoors in the Winter
On the flip side, you can't hole up at abode all the fourth dimension either to dodge the sniffles or flu. Contrary to popular conventionalities, it's non beingness outside in cold weather without a coat that makes y'all more probable to catch cold and influenza — it'south being bundled up within. "Illness tends to be seasonal, and people are more likely to become sick when the seasons change," Lawrason says. "For case, influenza tends to strike during the winter months." The reason people are more vulnerable to viruses such as cold and flu in the winter? "People are generally cooped up together indoors in an enclosed space trying to keep warm, which increases their chances of spreading germs and getting ill," he explains.
Swimming or Using a Hot Tub
If y'all think the chlorine and chemicals in pools and hot tubs volition impale everything, call up again. Fecal matter tin can make its way into pools and hot tubs, making bathers ill. "In full general, bacteria and germs tin easily be transmitted around water, and then avoid hot tubs and pools if yous don't want to get sick," Lawrason says.
Right Afterwards Being Sick
Talk most a double whammy! You lot're more likely to become an illness subsequently just being sick. "We take cilia lining in our respiratory systems, which are tissues that can command what goes in and out of our bodies," Lawrason says. When you're ill, the cilia can exist temporarily damaged or weakened, which allows new bacteria or viruses like common cold and influenza to enter. "Furthermore, illness in full general tin temporarily lower immunity, creating a improve take chances of getting sick afterward the body has already been sick," he says.
Neglecting Your Health When You're Well
Don't take your amnesty to cold and influenza for granted. "Eating healthfully to maintain a good immune system, drinking lots of water, not drinking too much alcohol, and sleeping appropriately are all common sense means to avoid getting sick," Tomich says. "It'south likewise very important to stay upward on your immunizations and get an influenza shot during flu season. Vaccinations save lives."
Not Being Mindful of the Germs
It may sound like mutual sense, merely in the hustle and bustle of decorated life, it's easy to forget the near effective means to avoid getting sick. "Washing your easily is extremely important because the easily are the most common vehicle for transmitting illnesses," Lawrason says. "Mitt wipes and bacteria hand sanitizers tin also keep germs and bacteria that can brand you sick off your hands." But how you use information technology is important: If your paw sanitizer dries on your hands in less than 20 seconds, you lot're not using plenty of it to go along from getting sick. "And finally, if yous yourself are ill, try to avert public places to prevent others from becoming ill," he says.
Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-flu-pictures/unexpected-times-you-could-get-sick.aspx
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