"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.

    紐約蒙蒂菲奧里醫療中心傳染病專家布來恩*卡里說：“警惕危險并采取常識性的預防措施極大地利于挽救生命”。這里有三條建議，用來構建日常生活的自我防御體。

    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，由于干裂的皮膚比較容易讓病毒進入。

    2.流感季節格外小心

    如果還沒的話，打一次流感疫苗。在人群中停留盡可能短的時間，特別是在象電梯以及飛機這樣密閉空間內。與咳嗽和打噴嚏者保持距離。在與帶有流感相似癥狀的人相處之后，別摸自己的眼睛、嘴巴或鼻子。如果患了病，就待在家里，別去上班，上學，別干其他的事情。咳嗽或打噴嚏時，用紗布蓋住嘴巴和鼻子。使用抗菌紗布。不要飲酒，酒精降低白細胞，增大流感患者患細菌性肺炎的風險。

    3.避免可能的傳染源

    在戶外時使用昆蟲驅除劑。在寵物園或寵物商店，與外來動物保持距離。在選擇寵物時遠離引進或捕獲的動物。如果到一個有過禽流感病例或致命傳染病的國家去旅游，要格外多加小心。