As if flu wasn't enough that the World Health Organisation declared the novel coronavirus as a global health emergency. A sneeze, a cough or a handshake can cause exposure to the deadly virus. Right now, no vaccine can protect you from the family of the virus, but trials for a vaccine are underway. While almost every advisory stresses on washing hands to protect yourself from COVID-19, how do you know you are doing it correctly? Here's how to keep your hands germ-free.

What Is The Best Way to Wash Your Hands?

The best way to wash your hands is to rub them with soap and water for at least 20 to 30 seconds. An antiseptic soap is not mandatory for routine hand hygiene. Using any good soap with water can work just fine. If there is one thing that may do no good to your keep your hands germ-free, it is an antibacterial lotion. Coronavirus Precautions: Can You Get COVID-19 From Having Sex or Kissing Your Partner? Here’s What You Should Know. 

How Often Should You Wash Your Hands?

You may be tempted to wash your hands more frequently than needed, but overwashing your hands can lead to dry and chapped hands. You do not need to be obsessive-compulsive about keeping your hands germ-free. Going to the bathroom, commuting by public transport and touching germy things like doorknobs and money, and eating and preparing meals, are situations that prompt a hand wash. Make sure that you wash your hands if you touch something visibly wet or dirty.

Should You Use Hand-Sanitisers To Keep Your Hands Germ-Free?

Hand sanitisers work just as well as water and soap, so you do not need to use them if you have washed your hands. However, aim to use a quarter-sized dollop of the sanitiser. It doesn't matter whether the sanitiser is scented or unscented. It is mainly about rubbing it right for the right amount of time which is about  20 to 30 seconds. Coronavirus in Children: How Can You Tell If Your Child Has COVID-19? Everything Parents Need to Know About the Deadly Virus. 

What Is The Best Way To Stop the Spread of Germs?

If you are infected, the best way to get better is to stay at home. Avoiding office and crowded places can keep your co-workers, friends and community from getting sick. China's Coronavirus Outbreak: Most Common Myths and Conspiracy Theories About COVID-19 That Have Gone Viral. 

The world won't fall apart if you do not go to work for a few days. You do not want to be a vector of an epidemic, do you? Along with keeping your hands clean and staying at home, loading up on nutrients like antioxidants or vitamin C can stave off a cold or flu.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 04, 2020 10:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).