How Can We Avoid Viral Infections?
Many times we fall ill because other people have infected us. In the same way that we can infect others. Therefore, it is important to be very clear about how we can avoid viral infections.
Infectious diseases are the most common communicable pathologies. Among all of them, respiratory infections are the most common, as well as gastroenteritis.
According to statistics, the vast majority of these cases are caused by viruses, such as Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Rotavirus and Adenovirus. For this reason, the use of antibiotics is usually not effective, since these drugs are aimed at treating bacterial diseases.
What are the main routes of infection?
As you probably already know, the main route of transmission of viral diseases is the hands. These limbs are continually in contact with objects that other people have touched, and we use them to touch our nose or mouth involuntarily.
In this way, it is very easy to get infected by microorganisms from other people. Although this is the main route of infection, there are also other very common such as:
- Routes respiratory when a person who is sick coughs or sneezes, expels a quantity of viral particles that are introduced into the body of people that inhale.
- Poorly ventilated rooms : the accumulation of viral particles in the environment is normally caused by a lack of ventilation in the room.
Habits to avoid viral infections
As we can see, it is very easy to both infect and catch a viral disease. That is why we want to show a series of tips that are very useful when it comes to preventing this type of disease.
- Use disposable tissues : disposable tissues are the most hygienic, so we should not use cloth ones. When sneezing or coughing, we must cover our nose and mouth with a handkerchief. In case of not having one at hand, we must use the inside of the arm. We should never cover ourselves with our hands, since, if they are not washed properly afterwards, you will promote contagion to other people.
- Use of masks : to protect ourselves from the viral particles that other sick people have expelled, the use of masks is the best form of prevention. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a medical mask; we can use a scarf or a handkerchief, especially in places where there are many people.
- Wash your hands periodically: this is another of the measures to avoid viral infections. We must wash our hands with soap and water every time we cough or sneeze.
- Cook in a hygienic way: it is essential to avoid falling ill, as well as not eating expired food.
- Ventilate rooms: as we mentioned, poorly ventilated rooms contain numerous viral particles. Therefore, proper ventilation in the morning – for at least 15 minutes – is very important, as it allows the air to clean and circulate.
- We should not drink water that is not drinkable: nor should we share cutlery or glasses with other people.
Do vaccines prevent infection?
Currently, among respiratory viruses, it has only been possible to synthesize the vaccine for the Influenza virus. So, so far, it is the only respiratory virus on which we can prevent its spread. However, we must modify their effectiveness every year because these viruses have a high capacity for mutation.
Apart from the vaccine against the aforementioned virus, others such as the Respiratory Syncytial Virus are being studied and investigated. This virus mainly affects children and its commercialization is expected in the coming years.
Conclution
Despite the fact that viral infections are very common and very easy to contract due to their easy transmission, there are a series of measures that we can take to avoid viral infections. We must be aware of the responsibility we have to prevent the spread of certain pathologies.
Good hand hygiene is essential, as well as covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when we cough. Apart from all the advice offered, we know that research is also continuing on new vaccines that protect us against these diseases.
