Your mom probably gave you the right advice when you were a kid: “Cover your mouth when you sneeze!”
As it turns out, that’s sound advice, especially when you’re only a cubicle away from colleagues who are all anxious to avoid whatever you have, or whatever they imagine you might have.
You don’t have to be a hypochondriac to worry about all those cold and flu bugs buzzing around your office.
So here are some things you can do to protect yourself, and protect others from those nasty little viruses:
- Use a tissue to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, or do it into your elbow. And don’t forget to dispose of those tissues in the trash where others cannot accidentally touch them.
- Wash your hands, with soap and water for at least 20 seconds frequently. Or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if you can’t get to soap and water. This is particularly important after you cough, sneeze of blow your nose.
- Try not to spread germs by touching your nose, mouth and eyes.
- Keep your office telephone, your computer keyboard and your desk top clean.
- Avoid using the phone and work tools on the desks of colleagues.
- Stay home if you’re sick. You know, if you have a fever, a cough, a runny nose, body aches, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- Get a seasonal flu shot, and then ask your doctor if you should also get an H1N1 vaccine as well.
- Try to live a healthy life – get enough rest, eat right, get plenty of exercise.
- Here’s one you’ll like: use your vacation days. The theory is that people who take enough time off tend to be more healthy.
- And finally, if you smoke, quit. Smokers tend to get more illnesses than non-smokers.
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