Germ control overview
By knowing and understanding:
- Where the germs originate.
- How they are expelled from the body or source.
- How they are transmitted between people and their environment and how they can infect people once they encounter them.
By knowing and using good hygiene practice you can minimise the spread of germs at each point of the cycle.
This general germ control section focuses on simple and straightforward advice that can be applied in any setting, be it in the home, in healthcare facilities like a hospitals or nursing homes, in nurseries, doctor’s surgeries and schools. Certain situations may require a much higher level of care than others, for example where vulnerable people are present, in hospitals or retirement homes etc. Use this section as a guideline for baseline hygiene practice and consult the Before, During and After Hospital Visit FAQs for further information on extra precautions that you can take in high risk environments.
The above diagram shows how germs are spread from yourself to others and from others to yourself.
Almost all germs fit into this cycle, so it is worth noting so you can think about how you can prevent the spread of germs during your hospital stay or visit.
Germ control at the source
- Wash your hands after contact with an ill person, or wear gloves if possible.
- If dealing with body fluids or dressing wounds you should wear gloves and dispose of these and any dressings immediately and hygienically in a plastic bag, then thoroughly wash, then sanitise your hands.
- Ill people should wash their hands frequently.
- Do not share towels or flannels etc.
Germ control during illness
- Don’t allow sufferers with weeping sores to prepare food.
- Germs may colonise in the noses of carriers, so use tissues to wipe and blow your nose and dispose of these immediately and safely.
- Clean up any bodily discharges straight away, and wash and sanitise your hands thoroughly afterwards.
Germ control in your surroundings
- Clean and disinfect, using bleach or antimicrobial products, all surfaces and objects that are frequently touched. This will include; the floor, carpets, shower trays, baths, taps, door handles, telephones, remote controls, curtains.
- Vacuum each day if anybody in the house has a skin illness.
- Wash an ill person’s laundry, including clothes, towels and bedding separately and after your own, either at 40°C with a biological detergent or at 60°C.
Germ control at the site of infection
- Germs can enter your body through breaks in the skin, so make sure that you cover all cuts, wounds or grazes as soon as possible with sterile dressings and use antiseptics, as they can help prevent germs from getting in.
- Make sure medical devices are hygienically clean before use, and where possible avoid touching them.