Holiday Travel Tip: Wash Your Hands
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Medioimages/Photodisc(NEW YORK) –- It’s the No. 1 rule that experts repeat over and over again: Wash hands.
“You’re constantly touching surfaces that people have sneezed and coughed on, and then because you’re in a crowded airport or on a plane you may get hot or sweaty, you wipe your eyes, nose or mouth and can spread germs,” said Dr. Michael Perskin, assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Soap and water aren’t always available, so alcohol-based hand sanitizers are essential travel items.
“Liberal and frequent use of alcohol hand rubs is very important,” said Dr. Laurence Gardner, professor of medicine and executive dean for clinical affairs at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “If I were really concerned about acquiring a cold or a respiratory infection, I would apply that to my hands every 30 minutes or when I used the bathroom or touched any other surface.”
“Wash kids’ hands often as well, and encourage them to use a tissue and sneeze or cough into their elbow,” said Dr. Lisa Bernstein, associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine.
Of course handwashing doesn’t only apply to sitting on airplanes. With a much greater volume of people and germs in stores and other places, disinfecting hands, shopping carts, seats is extremely important.
Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio