They are invisible to the naked eye but run everywhere in winter.
To avoid microbes and infection, it is best to take a few precautions. The main reflexes to adopt to keep microbes at bay.
In the winter, immunity
To prevent germs and prevent infections, colds and other seasonal diseases such as flu or gastroenteritis, here are some practical tips to keep in mind.
Microbes: red alert on public transport
The more frequent a place is, the greater the probability of crossing an infectious agent. In transit (train, metro and bus), the threat is higher than on the street, due to crowded rush hours and low air exchange rates. In an outbreak of nasopharyngitis, gastroenteritis and influenza, do not touch the grab bars that hold hundreds of potentially infected people.
Or grab them with a disposable tissue and do not put your fingers in your mouth afterwards. Similarly, beware of the door handles of collective toilets: they are likely to carry many pathogenic bacteria. Wash your hands regularly to avoid infection "Hands are the primary vectors of microbial contamination," says Dr. Frédéric Saldmann, author of "We wash our hands" (Flammarion). Washing them thoroughly reduces the incidence of respiratory and digestive infections by 30%. " Therefore, systematically rub them on your way home, out of the bathroom and before going to the table, with a hydroalcoholic gel or simply with warm water and soap.
It is a basic gesture of hygiene which is unfortunately more and more neglected. According to Inpes *, only 20% of French people spontaneously mention washing their hands as a means of protecting themselves from respiratory infections of the winter.