Common Cold Precautions

The common cold is a non-serious, temporary and irritating upper-respiratory infection. While there is no cure for the common cold, there are precautions you can take to avoid getting infected by one of the 200 rhinoviruses that cause the common cold and precautions to take when you have a cold to avoid spreading it to others.

Keeping Clean

• The No. 1 precaution you can take to avoid getting or spreading a cold is to wash your hands thoroughly and often. Hand washing mechanically removes virus from your hands and requires no special equipment aside from warm water, a sink or basin, and a bar of soap. Rinse your hands in the water, fingertips down and allowing the water to run off your hands. Lather well with soap, and rub the lather around your hands, between your fingers and under your nails. Rub the lather for at least 20 to 30 seconds. Then rinse your hands again, fingertips down under the warm water to rinse off any soap lather completely. Dry your hands with a clean towel.
  Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a good substitute for washing your hands when you don't have access to soap and water.
  As a precaution against catching a cold, you should wash your hands before and after you prepare or eat food; after you use the bathroom, touch surfaces that may be contaminated; or after you come into contact with someone who has a cold. If you already have a cold, wash your hands before you touch any food, surface that others use or other people.
  Washing and laundering bedding and clothes after you have had a cold helps prevent the spread of the virus to other people. If you are healthy and washing the clothing or bedding of someone who is or was recently suffering from a cold, use protective gloves and wash your hands after handling the potentially contaminated fabrics.
  Keep your kitchen and bathroom clean and surfaces disinfected. These common areas feature hard, non-porous surfaces where viruses can be passed from one sick friend or family member to another.

Prevent or Fight Infection

• Whether you are trying to avoid a cold or avoid spreading your cold, do not share beverages, bites of food or eating utensils. Use tissues to blow your nose or cover your sneezes, then dispose of those tissues promptly. If you feel a cold coming on, stay home from work or school to avoid spreading the cold.
  Get enough rest, eat a balanced diet, and increase your intake of vitamins. If you are trying to prevent catching a cold, these precautions will help your immune system stay strong and fight off possible infections. If you are already suffering from a cold, these precautions will help your body fight off the infection more efficiently and get well faster.