Hygiene etiquette involves practices that prevent the spread of illness and disease. While it is always important to practice good hygiene etiquette, it is most important when you are sick, especially when you are coughing or sneezing.
To help stop the spread of germs:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or use your elbow when you cough or sneeze.
- Avoid shaking hands, use other forms of acknowledgement.
- Put your used tissue in a waste basket.
- If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
- Cleanse your hands frequently by either washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (with at least 70% alcohol).
- Don’t share food, cutlery, cups or water bottles with others – even immediate family.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands
- Frequently disinfect high-touch surfaces often
If you are ill, you should try to distance yourself from others so you do not spread your germs. Distancing includes staying home from work or school when possible.
Hand hygiene resources
Hand washing/sanitizing is the best way to prevent infections. The resources below demonstrate the steps to properly wash and sanitize your hands, and outline some scenarios on when you should always wash your hands:
