Prevent the Spread of Illness at Home

Respiratory illnesses are like rowdy party-crashers: sociable, relentless, and entirely unwelcome. But even if a cold or flu bug has already entered your home, it's not too late to stop it from becoming a long-term visitor. Practicing healthy habits can ward off illness, and some additional steps can help prevent the spread of a virus from one family member to another.

Cold and flu viruses spread primarily through the respiratory droplets produced when someone coughs or sneezes. Some spread through the air after a cough or sneeze, and others live for up to two hours on other surfaces, including hands. If a healthy person touches a contaminated surface, then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth, the virus spreads. The key to prevention is to keep healthy family members from picking up the germs, and to keep the sick family members from transmitting them. Since quarantine is neither practical nor desirable, here's what you can do.