"Being alert to the dangers, as well as practicing commonsense measures for prevention, can go a long way toward saving lives," says Brian Currie, an infectious disease specialist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Here are 3 suggestions for making self-defense part of your routine:

    1. Clean your hands several times throughout the day. Use alcohol-based hand rubs and gels. Check the label to make sure they contain 60%-95% isopropanol or ethanol. Ordinary soap and water will work, but you don't have to use very hot water or antibacterial soaps. Use moisturizing lotion, as dry, cracked skin can let in viruses more easily.

    2. Take extra precautions during flu season. Get a flu shot if you haven't already. Spend as little time as possible in crowds, especially in closed spaces, such as elevators and airplanes. Keep your distance from sneezers and coughers. Don't touch your eyes, mouth or nose after being with someone with flu-like symptoms. If you become sick, stay home from work, school and errands. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Use antiviral tissues. Don't drink alcohol, which depresses white blood cells and increases the risk of developing bacterial pneumonia in flu sufferers.

    3. Avoid potential sources of infection. Use insect repellent when outdoors. Keep your distance from exotic animals at petting zoos or pet stores. In choosing a pet, stay away from imported or captured animals. Take extra precautions if you travel to a country that's had cases of bird flu or other deadly infections.

    紐約蒙蒂菲奧裏醫療中心傳染病專家布來恩*卡裏說：“警惕危險並采取常識性的預防措施極大地利於挽救生命”。這裏有三條建議
，用來構建日常生活的自我防禦體。

    1.一天內多次洗手

    使用以酒精為基質的洗手液。檢查標簽確保其含有60％－９５％的異丙醇或乙醇。一般的肥皂和水也行，但不得使用很熱的水或抗菌肥皂。使用保濕洗液，由於幹裂的皮膚比較容易讓病毒進入。

    2.流感季節格外小心

    如ru果guo還hai沒mei的de話hua，打da一yi次ci流liu感gan疫yi苗miao。在zai人ren群qun中zhong停ting留liu盡jin可ke能neng短duan的de時shi間jian
，特te別bie是shi在zai象xiang電dian梯ti以yi及ji飛fei機ji這zhe樣yang密mi閉bi空kong間jian內nei。與yu咳ke嗽sou和he打da噴pen嚏ti者zhe保bao持chi距ju離li。在zai與yu帶dai有you流liu感gan相xiang似si症zheng狀zhuang的de人ren相xiang處chu之zhi後hou
，別bie摸mo自zi己ji的de眼yan睛jing、嘴(zui)巴(ba)或(huo)鼻(bi)子(zi)。如(ru)果(guo)患(huan)了(le)病(bing)
，就(jiu)待(dai)在(zai)家(jia)裏(li)
，別(bie)去(qu)上(shang)班(ban)
，上(shang)學(xue)，別(bie)幹(gan)其(qi)他(ta)的(de)事(shi)情(qing)。咳(ke)嗽(sou)或(huo)打(da)噴(pen)嚏(ti)時(shi)，用(yong)紗(sha)布(bu)蓋(gai)住(zhu)嘴(zui)巴(ba)和(he)鼻(bi)子(zi)。使(shi)用(yong)抗(kang)菌(jun)紗(sha)布(bu)。不(bu)要(yao)飲(yin)酒(jiu)
，酒(jiu)精(jing)降(jiang)低(di)白(bai)細(xi)胞(bao)，增(zeng)大(da)流(liu)感(gan)患(huan)者(zhe)患(huan)細(xi)菌(jun)性(xing)肺(fei)炎(yan)的(de)風(feng)險(xian)。

    3.避免可能的傳染源

    在(zai)戶(hu)外(wai)時(shi)使(shi)用(yong)昆(kun)蟲(chong)驅(qu)除(chu)劑(ji)。在(zai)寵(chong)物(wu)園(yuan)或(huo)寵(chong)物(wu)商(shang)店(dian)
，與(yu)外(wai)來(lai)動(dong)物(wu)保(bao)持(chi)距(ju)離(li)。在(zai)選(xuan)擇(ze)寵(chong)物(wu)時(shi)遠(yuan)離(li)引(yin)進(jin)或(huo)捕(bu)獲(huo)的(de)動(dong)物(wu)。如(ru)果(guo)到(dao)一(yi)個(ge)有(you)過(guo)禽(qin)流(liu)感(gan)病(bing)例(li)或(huo)致(zhi)命(ming)傳(chuan)染(ran)病(bing)的(de)國(guo)家(jia)去(qu)旅(lv)遊(you)，要(yao)格(ge)外(wai)多(duo)加(jia)小(xiao)心(xin)。