Protecting public health may sound like the responsibility of medical professionals and health organizations alone. In reality, every single person can contribute, by adopting a simple but effective positive behavior. Keeping in mind it’s not just about personal care, but also respecting others, proper hygiene etiquette can benefit everyone, avoiding getting sick and dispersing gems.

There are some simple rules to put into practice in different contexts and situations of everyday life. They can be summarized to: cough and sneeze etiquette, gym precautions, restroom hygiene, and technology sanitation.

Cough and Sneeze Etiquette

It’s always important to be polite and hygienic when coughing and sneezing; specially, when you are sick, since respiratory illnesses (including serious ones such as influenza, SARS, RSV, etc.) are spread by coughing or sneezing, as well as having unclean hands. To help stop the spread of germs, there are some instructions that must be followed. First of all, you should cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze; the tissue must be thrown in the waste basket. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow, instead of your hands. Also, always stand at least 3 feet away from others when doing so. Afterwards, wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds; if there’s none available, alcohol-based hand rub should be used. Additionally, if you’re at a hospital or a health center, you may be asked to put on a facemask to protect others.

Gym Precautions

Bacteria grows in warm, moist environments. Therefore, the gym can be a dangerous place, having a potential for transmission of certain kinds of infections. Porous materials, such as the machines padding and yoga mats are especially risky, compared to dumbbells, for example, since bacteria thrives in soft materials when they get damp and warm. In athletic pads, for instance, which are directly placed on the skin, it’s likely to get re-infected since the bacteria causing it lingers in the pads. Other germs that can live on shared equipment can be capable of causing urinary tract infections, E. coli, fungus growth and warts.

There are easy ways to avoid such horrible infections and health hazards for everyone who works out at the gym. First of all, washing your hands before using gym equipment, with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub. Also, wiping the equipment with antibacterial wipes, before and after using it will benefit everybody; as well as keeping a fresh towel to clean your own sweat. When in the sauna, it’s convenient to avoid direct contact with the bench, by sitting on a towel; as well as wearing flip flops in the shower to steer clear of contracting athlete’s foot.

Restroom Hygiene

This is probably the most obvious, since it’s easy to relate “toilette” with “hygiene”. Studies show that every square inch of a toilet seat has 50 germs, which is why toilet seat covers are strongly recommended. Females must dispose sanitary towels and tampons in the proper receptacle after wrapping them in paper, instead of the toilet (which may get clogged). After using the restroom, you must wash your hands with water and soap, drying them with a paper towel.

Technology Sanitation

Nowadays, it’s normal to have some digital device (iPhones, iPads, GPS, etc.) which it’s often used; the screens get touched frequently, and it’s usually shared freely with other people. However, these gadgets can accumulate lots of germs and bacteria. Also, a computer keyboard, as well as the desktop, can have a high number of such germs. What’s surprising is that research has found that the level of bacteria concentration in the mentioned items is higher than places the common sense would find to be dirty, such as a toilette seat or a flush handle.

As said before, microbes prosper in warm places, such as these devices. Also, it’s normal to touch a screen and then touch one’s eyes or face; as well as it’s common to eat lunch at the desk, by the keyboard and phone. To help combat the potential infections and diseases, it’s important to wipe cell phones and keyboards daily with a special (disinfecting) wipe; moreover, disinfecting office equipment shared by many, like telephones or copy machines, it’s also a good measure. Avoiding sharing a personal device as a cell phone can be a strict but helpful move.