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Teen Survival Guide

Home : Teen Survival Guide : Taking care of a beautiful you inside and out

Fighting germs

It doesn’t sound nice, but there are germs everywhere. These germs are so small that they can hurt your body without you even knowing. Germs can cause infections such as a cold or the flu. They also can cause infections that can put your life in danger, such as HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

You can fight germs by …

hands being washed

  • Washing your hands often: after using the bathroom, after blowing your nose or coughing, after touching animals, after gardening, before and after spending time with someone who is sick, and before and after handling food.
  • Making sure your immunizations are up-to-date. Immunizations also are called vaccines. Immunizations protect you from diseases that are easily spread, such as the measles, chicken pox, and the flu. Immunizations are usually given as a shot. Ask your parents or guardian if your shots are up-to-date.
  • Waiting until you are married to have sex. If you are sexually active, you can get a sexually transmitted disease or STD. When used right and all the time, condoms can help protect you from getting some STDs. Condoms do not protect against all STDs 100 percent of the time. See the section “Taking care of your reproductive health—STDs” for more information.
  • Not sharing needles used for drugs, tattoos, or pierced ears. Sharing dirty needles (you can’t tell it is dirty by looking) can give you HIV or hepatitis, which can put your life in danger.
  • Learning proper food handling and storage.

Fun quiz

Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least ____ seconds before and after you touch food.

*Hint: You can find the answer in one of the web sites listed at the end of this section.

Answer: 20 seconds

To: girlshealth.gov
From: Casey (age 12), Fort Myers, Florida

Are hand-cleaning gels just as good as soap and water at cleaning hands?

Washing your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds is best. But when soap and clean water are not handy, an alcohol-based hand rub is very good at lowering the number of germs on skin. Keep one handy in your purse or coat pocket. Make sure to rub the product all over your hands and fingers until your hands are dry.


 

 

Content last updated February 12, 2008

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health.

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