Janet Raloff 梁小明

★ Dont panic. From flu to COVID-19， these key steps can limit your risk of most infections2. Experts repeat it over and over. The first line of defense is washing your hands. During an epidemic， you cant be too clean.

*不要恐慌。从流感到新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19），下面这些关键步骤可以限制住大多数感染的风险。专家们一遍又一遍地重复。第一道防线是洗手。在疫情期间，越爱干净越好。

Whether bird flu， COVID-19， MERS or Zika， the threat of a serious epidemic can strike fear in people across the globe. Its wise to respect these infections. After all， each can seriously sicken people. Still， theres no reason to panic. You can protect yourself by practising good hygiene3.

Heres what infectious-disease experts and officials at the World Health Organization advise：

無论是禽流感、新型冠状病毒肺炎、中东呼吸综合征（MERS）还是寨卡病毒（Zika），严重流行病的威胁都会在全球范围内引起人们的恐慌。重视这些传染病是明智的。毕竟，每种传染病都会让人得重病。不过，没有理由恐慌。你可以通过保持良好的卫生习惯来保护自己。

以下是世界卫生组织的传染病专家和官员的建议：

1. Wash your hands！

洗手！

Often. Assume that sneezes or germy4 hands have left infectious residues5 on every surface that you have not personally cleaned or seen cleaned （especially outside your home）. Scrub6 away for 20 seconds. （Sing the Happy Birthday Song twice—and not quickly—while you wash.） Dont forget to wash between fingers and under nails. If soap and water is unavailable， you can disinfect7 hands with an alcohol-based8 hand sanitizer9. Another option： If you have to turn a door knob， put a clean tissue or paper towel between the knob and your hand.

要经常洗手。假设打喷嚏或沾有细菌的手，在每个你没有亲自清洗或看到清洗过的（尤其是在你家外面的）物体表面留下了有传染性的残留物。要清洗20秒。（洗手的时候可以唱两遍生日歌——不要唱得太快。）别忘了洗手指之间和指甲缝里。如果没有肥皂和水，可以用含酒精的洗手液给双手消毒。你还有另一个选择：如果你必须转动门把手，那你可以用干净的纸巾隔在门把手和你的手之间。

2. Disinfect surfaces.

消毒表面。

These include desk tops， mobile phones， computer keyboards， TV remotes10， door handles and kitchen counters. Rub them down with a rag or paper towel that has been dampened11 with alcohol-based disinfectant12.

包括桌面、手机、电脑键盘、电视遥控器、门把手和厨房柜台。用沾有酒精消毒剂的抹布或纸巾擦拭。

3. Dont eat food or handle dishes or utensils touched by a sick family member.

不要吃生病的家人碰过的食物，也不要拿他们碰过的盘子或器皿。

If you must touch a spoon someone else has handled （but not had in their mouth）， do so. Then wash your hands.

如果你一定要碰别人拿过（但未曾被他们放进嘴里）的勺子，那就这样做吧。然后你要洗手。

4. Dont share a towel with anyone in your household who is sick.

不要和家里生病的人共用毛巾。

Get your own and make sure it is washed regularly with hot water. Dry towels in the sun or a hot dryer cycle.

When anyone in your home has an infectious disease， dont risk spreading it with a contaminated13 towel. Everyone in the family should have their own and get it washed frequently.

使用自己的毛巾，并确保定期用热水清洗它们。把毛巾放在阳光下晒干或用烘干机烘干。……