Everyone is urged to do three things at home this winter as flu cases surge (Image: Getty)
Everyone in the UK is being urged to do three things at home this winter as .
for people with were averaging 5,408 every day in the first week of January, including 256 in critical care, according to figures.
Health experts have warned that the strain of flu in circulation at the moment is putting more than three times as many people into hospital compared to this time last year, and flu positivity levels still remain high.
As the virus continues to spread, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging people to take three measures at home to help prevent further transmission.
Flu is spread through the air and by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, so the UKHSA says it is vital to follow three basic rules of good hygiene to protect yourself and others from infection. These include:
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covering your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze
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washing your hands
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cleaning your surroundings
The UKHSA says: “Coughing and sneezing increases the number of particles released by a person, the distance the particles travel and the time they stay in the air. If an infected person coughs or sneezes without covering their nose and mouth, it will significantly increase the risk of infecting others around them. By covering your nose and mouth, you will reduce the spread of particles carrying the virus.
“Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissues when you cough or sneeze. Put used tissues in a bin and immediately wash your hands or use hand sanitiser. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow, not into your hand.”
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It’s also important to wash your hands after touching surfaces as they could be contaminated with viruses and germs, which can then enter your body if you touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
Washing your hands removes viruses and germs making it less likely you’ll be infected if you touch your face, and using soap and water is the most effective way to clean your hands.
In addition to regular washing throughout the day, you should wash your hands after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose, before eating or handling food, after touching surfaces touched by others, and when returning home.
It’s also important to clean and disinfect surfaces in your home as they can be contaminated when people touch, cough, talk or breathe over them. Cleaning should be carried out often with particular attention to surfaces like handles, light switches, work surfaces and remote controls, as these are touched a lot.