Keeping your hands clean is perhaps the most important way you can to avoid getting sick. It also prevents you from spreading germs to others. Wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. Think “wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry.” If water washing isn’t possible, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. In addition to washing your hands, minimize hand-to-face contact. According to one observational study, people touched their faces an average of 3.6 times an hour. Touching your face can introduce disease-causing bacteria and viruses to the mouth and nose.
