Personal

 Hand washing is one of the most important ways of stopping germs spreading. You should wash your hand whenever they look dirty, but also before and after certain tasks.

It’s most important to wash your hands before food preparation, including any baby feeds, eating, applying contact lenses, dressing a wound or applying medication.

Using the toilet or changing a baby’s nappy, handling raw food, touching animals or pets, after contact with blood or body fluid (vomit, nasal secretions, saliva), after touching a contaminated or potentially contaminated item (cleaning cloth, drain, soil) and after general cleaning.

To ensure that your hands are properly clean, you should wet them then use bar or liquid soap and rub together your palms, the backs of your hands, your thumbs, between your fingers, and under and around your nails for at least 20 seconds before rinsing under clean, running water.

Hand sanitisers are designed to kill germs on hands that are not visibly dirty.

Avoid sharing personal care items such as toothbrushes, razors, cosmetics, wash cloths and towels, and shower or bathe every day before applying a deodorant or antiperspirant. Change your underclothes and socks/tights every day and launder these items and the rest of your family’s clothes and towels regularly. Brush your teeth twice a day, including just before you go to bed and keep your nails short and clean.

The best dandruff treatment is to use an anti-dandruff or anti-fungal shampoo, as these contain active ingredients to fight against the condition. Washing twice daily with a mild cleansing agent should help keep spots under control, along with a diet high in Vitamin A and drinking lots of clean water.

Frequently washing your hands with soap and water or using a hand sanitiser will help reduce the spread of cold and flu. You should also cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and dispose of the used tissue in the bin. Remember to wash your hands afterwards. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces around the home will also help reduce the spread.

Colds and flu are both caused by viruses, and some of the symptoms are the same. However, flu is usually a much more severe illness and the symptoms typically include a sudden fever, body aches, and extreme tiredness.

Yes, if you are considered to be in the ‘at risk’ group of people, which includes pregnant women, young children, those with chronic lung diseases, the elderly, carers, and those people living in long-stay residential homes or other long-stay facilities.

Thoroughly clean any cuts or wounds as soon as possible then apply an antiseptic cream or ointment and cover them with a plaster or bandage. You may also need a tetanus jab (vaccine) if the injury has broken your skin and your tetanus vaccinations aren’t up to date.