10 tips to help colds from Spreading

Going against the rules of colds and spreading them, I drug myself to work today. Why? I have no idea.

Ten Tips to Stop Colds From Spreading

1. Wash Hands. Washing hands literally rinses germs away. Use plenty of soap and warm, running water. It is important to rinse the hands under warm running water for 30 seconds. Teach children to say their ABC's or count to 30 while washing so they can keep their hands under the water long enough.

2. Don't share cups. Using paper cups can be helpful to avoid spreading germs. Its a great idea to have a dispense of small cups in the kitchen or bathroom to encourage children to make it a habit. Have small waste baskets handy so the paper cups can be disposed of immediately. Leaving paper cups on tables, counters or elsewhere can spread the virus germ.

3. Use paper tissue.It is best to blow the nose on paper tissue and throw it away. It is important to keep the nose gently blown to rid the body of mucous. Throwing the tissue away immediately is also important because it is a source of cold virus that can to be spread to others by leaving it on a counter, desk, couch, chair, etc.. Have small waste baskets around in places handy to use to encourage proper disposal.

4. Don't touch eyes, nose or mouth. If exposed to someone with a cold, don't th ouch your eyes, nose or mouth, which is where germs can be passed. Try to help children understand how germs can be spread in this way. Encourage children to wash their hands frequently, as germs are often spread from our hands to our mouth, after touching a surface with virus germs.

5. Use disposable towels. Paper or other disposable towels instead of cloth towels in the kitchen and other areas. Both bacteria and viruses can live on cloth towels for hours. Have waste containers handy to dispose of the paper towels immediately so that any viruses on the towels end up in the waste basket instead of on the counter.

6. Keep toys clean. Toys often carry germs. Wash children's toys regularly in warm, soapy water to kill bacteria and viruses.

7. Sneeze away. Of course, sneeze away from others and into a tissue that can be thrown away. If you don't have a tissue handy, sneeze into your arm. If you have to cover you mouth with your hands, be sure to wash your hands immediately afterward. Model these behaviors for children. It's not a good idea to hold in a sneeze, so let it out, but try to sneeze in a way that doesn't spread germs to others.

8. Ventilate. Open windows when the weather permits because germs may remain stagnant in the air. Use a humidifier to keep the air moist to avoid nose irritation.

9. Wipe up Germs. Germs my rest on surfaces for up to three hours. Surfaces that are touched frequently, such as door knobs, handrails, light switches, telephones, remote controls, and counter tops should be wiped frequently with disinfectant wipes.

10. Don't smoke or allow smoking. Smoking can irritate the nose and lungs, drastically increasing children's susceptibility to colds. If the child already has a cold, smoke can really irritate the lungs and nasal passages and cause a cold to become something more serious. A smoke free environment is best for health.

Even if the Common Cold is all top common,we all can practice simple prevention techniques to help avoid the spread of the virus. Many of the tips are common sense, but may take some practice. Children, especially may have trouble understanding how colds are spread and lack understanding of these common sense techniques. Try to find ways to make prevention fun and hopefully these good health tips will become habits.

How Long Cold Germs Survive

Yes I'm home in bed nursing a miserable cold. Caught it at work and it's very bad one.

Cold and flu germs: How long can they survive outside the body?

The length of time that cold and flu viruses can survive outside the body on an environmental surface varies greatly. But the suspected range is from a few seconds up to 48 hours, depending on the specific virus and the type of surface.

Flu viruses tend to live longer on surfaces than cold viruses. Also, it is generally believed that cold and flu viruses survive for longer periods on nonporous surfaces — such as plastic, metal or wood — than they do on porous surfaces — such as fabric or paper.

Although cold and flu viruses primarily spread from person-to-person contact, they can also spread from contact with contaminated objects or surfaces. The best way to avoid becoming infected with the cold or flu virus is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Other tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season include:

• Get a flu shot. This is the one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza.
• Regularly clean your desk, phone and computer keyboard and mouse — at home and at the office — with disinfectant sprays or wipes.
• Stay home if you're sick. Don't expose others to your germs by dragging yourself to the office, theater or PTA meeting.