Ebola virus is not an unavoidable death sentence that has no room for survival. You can prevent getting infected by practicing the right measures, and one of them is through proper hygiene.
Truth be known that as of this time, there are no FDA-approved vaccines for Ebola virus infection prevention. But when you practice effective cleanliness procedures at home and outdoors, you help reduce your chances of getting infected, reported CDC.
Because the Ebola virus transmission is through physical contact, personal hygiene practices rank high among CDC 's suggestions. Here are two practical hygiene tips that you and your family must practice to help stay safe from contamination:
1. Wash hands regularly.
The timeless health advantages of washing hands have made it a must when it comes to preventing any disease's transmission, including the Ebola virus. CDC advises using soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer for washing.
2. Avoid touching any item that may have been held by or had contact with an infected person's body fluids.
CDC advises people to be wary of touching items, especially those that may have come in contact with infected people's body fluids. However, as The Guardian confirmed, people are not contagious until they have become symptomatic. Once this happens, based on their assessment, they would have been too unwell to visit places other people frequent.
Here are some important additional details regarding Ebola virus contamination through body fluids, as shared by WHO (World Health Organization), per The Guardian.
- Sweat may not be a prime transmitter of large amounts of virus. Experts have not had any cases whereby they extracted a considerable amount of it from sweat.
- The saliva and tears of people in the advanced stages of the infection may be risky to a certain extent. Studies, however, remain indeterminate at this point.
- Studies have confirmed the possibility of being infected through breast milk, urine and feces. However, concerning the two body waste products, the risk is present only when a symptomatic patient had used a toilet. In such cases, he or she is most susceptible to using a toilet at home or at the hospital. Overall, the possibility of people contracting the virus through public toilets is highly unlikely.
- Touching any surfaces that have had contact with an infected person's saliva or vomit (or any of the specified body fluids) can be risky to anyone with a wound (cut, bruise, etc.) or who had touched his or her face.