The after-hours doctor team at House Call Doctor is reminding city dwellers to be mindful of the common urban pollutants spreading illnesses this cold and flu season.
Highly populated areas like the city are a breeding ground for bacteria.
Types of urban pollution that could be making you sick:
- Human contact pollution
- Air pollution
- Water pollution.
How to prevent getting sick from urban pollution:
- Keep your hands clean
Everything is dirty in the city. Countless people have touched the handrails, parking metres and the crosswalk buttons scattered throughout the city. Even without noticing, we rub our eyes, touch our face and fix our hair all day long. The last thing you want is to have those germs end up near your mouth and eyes. It is important to keep your hands clean to prevent spreading germs. Hand sanitiser, anti-bacterial wipes and thoroughly washing your hands are the best way to prevent getting sick. You should also keep this in mind when ordering from touch-screen devices in restaurants and bars before you eat.
- Be careful where you put your phone
If you sleep near your phone, putting it on a dirty table isn’t wise. Our phone screens and cases pick up so many germs just from being left around. Clean your phone screen and case with anti-bacterial wipes. We also recommend you done leave your phone on a table in public, it’s best to keep it in your pocket or bag.
- When catching public transport, try to avoid touching things
Buses, trains and trams aren’t cleaned as often as you’d like to think. Be mindful of touching handrails more than you need to. Use hand sanitiser after you depart, especially before eating.
- Wear a mask
They may not look stylish, but if you’re in a big city your chances of getting sick from air pollution or human contact can be reduced dramatically if you wear a face mask during travel. During the cold and flu season protective masks could keep you from catching someone else’s germs.