Which action helps prevent communicable disease?

Which action helps prevent communicable disease?

• A. Wash hands
• B. Use antibiotics
• C. Stay in school when sick
• D. Share personal items

Answer: (A)

Handwashing is a powerful defense against the spread of communicable diseases. Washing hands with soap and clean water removes germs you pick up from touching surfaces, people, or animals, and stops the transmission path from one person to another. Do this at key times such as before eating, after using the restroom, after coughing or sneezing, after handling garbage, and after caring for or diapering children. Aim for about 20 seconds of scrubbing, cleaning all parts of the hands, including between the fingers and under the nails, then drying with a clean towel. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, though it’s less effective on visibly dirty hands. Antibiotics treat existing bacterial infections and are not a preventative measure for everyday illnesses; overuse can contribute to antibiotic resistance. Staying home when sick helps protect others from catching what you have, rather than preventing disease overall. Sharing personal items can transfer germs directly between people. So, washing hands is the most effective action to prevent communicable disease.

Handwashing is a powerful defense against the spread of communicable diseases. Washing hands with soap and clean water removes germs you pick up from touching surfaces, people, or animals, and stops the transmission path from one person to another. Do this at key times such as before eating, after using the restroom, after coughing or sneezing, after handling garbage, and after caring for or diapering children. Aim for about 20 seconds of scrubbing, cleaning all parts of the hands, including between the fingers and under the nails, then drying with a clean towel. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, though it’s less effective on visibly dirty hands.

Antibiotics treat existing bacterial infections and are not a preventative measure for everyday illnesses; overuse can contribute to antibiotic resistance. Staying home when sick helps protect others from catching what you have, rather than preventing disease overall. Sharing personal items can transfer germs directly between people.

So, washing hands is the most effective action to prevent communicable disease.