By bookwyrm
You've read the Swine Flu facts and you're worried about the epidemic, but how can you prevent catching it? You can't sit home all the time and you have to ride the city bus, so are you just doomed to catch it? Of course not! There are a few simple things that everyone can do, even those that ride public transportation all the time.
Step 1
Relax: don't panic. When you panic you can't think straight and that leads to costly mistakes. You need to keep a clear head and know the facts. That was true for warriors in the old days and it's true today, too. Know how bad the Swine Flu epidemic is in your area and know the Swine Flu symptoms. Keep up with your local news.
Step 2
Watch for people that are coughing or sneezing. Let's say you entered a shop to buy some bakery and you see another costumer coughing badly by the bakery. Turn around and walk back out. The same is true on the bus. If a person near the front is coughing badly, go out the rear side door at your stop instead of walking past the sick person. But also realize not everyone you see coughing may have the Swine Flu. They may have a dry throat, swallowed the wrong way, be a new smoker, or have an annoying piece of popcorn inside the throat…
Step 3
Wear something over your mouth and nose. This works very well for me during winter when everyone is coughing and sneezing with colds and the flu, so it should work on the Swine Flu, too. In winter I wear a neck scarf over my face: the weather is freezing so it doesn't look too odd. Since it's warm, a facemask might be better.
Step 4
A pair of gloves will keep germs off of your hands when you open doors.
Wear gloves. This is very important! Anything you touch may be coughed on by a sick person: the metal poles on the city bus, those loops you hang onto on the bus, doorknobs, the railings on staircases or the escalator, buttons in the elevator, surfaces of doors where you push them open, inside public restrooms like stall doors or water faucets… Gloves prevent the germs from coming in contact with your skin. In a pinch, the loose edge of a T-shirt is a good substitute (presuming your clothing is baggy enough to use the T-shirt in this manner). Or use paper towels or whatever you might have.
Step 5
Wash well when you come home from being out, especially if someone coughed on you. Soap never hurt anyone.
Step 6
Eat cereal, a healthy whole-grain cereal. Cereals are packed with vitamins and are one of the best things to eat on a daily basis. Get into the habit of eating it daily and it doesn't always have to be at breakfast. It makes a great snack, too. If you want to stay healthy you need to eat right and cereal is a great start.
Step 7
Take vitamins. A multi-vitamin and an extra Vitamin C tablet are great choices. These combined with the daily bowl of cereal guarantees you have all the vitamins your body needs to work right and to stay healthy. A healthy body can easily fight off cold germs, so you are less likely to get sick.
Step 8
Get enough sleep each night. This is especially important. A tired body is a weak body and a weak body is a prime candidate to get sick. Most people who catch colds and the flu during the winter are probably exhausted and don't get enough sleep. So go to bed early instead of staying up late working on something. Do you really need to play another round of that game or read another chapter of the book? This also means don't stay up all night worrying about the Swine Flu, wringing your hands or tossing and turning all night. Turn your mind off and get some sleep.
Step 9
Avoid young children if you can. For some reason young kids always get sick easier than adults. If nothing else, keep an eye out for ones that appear to be ill.
Step 10
Avoid hospitals if you can. The waiting room is often filled with sick people and a few may have the Swine Flu.
