The spread of infection in waiting rooms is very common, especially when seasonal flu time arrives. Sharing small public spaces with other people is inevitable, so you should follow some precautions to prevent infection.

1. Keep your hands clean. Try to wash your hands after touching door handles or going to the toilet.

2. Cover your mouth, with a disposable tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw it away in a bin immediately after use.

3. While you have a cold or flu, wash clothes you’ve worn during the day in order to help eliminate germs. Do the same thing if you have been for any length of time in a waiting room.

4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, as viruses and bacteria usually use those “gates” to get into your body.

5. Try not to get too close to people who have a cold or flu, as microorganisms can be transmitted by coughing or sneezing on another individual (and keep in mind that some of them can even remain in the air for long periods).

Don’t forget that risk goes both ways: you can be infected with a virus, but you can also give it to other people, and that’s why you should ALWAYS follow these precautions.