It’s hard to do much to treat a cold or the flu once you’re infected. As with many illnesses, taking steps towards prevention may be the best cure for the cold or flu. 【小题1】 You may also be able to avoid a serious illness by acting quickly at the first sign of symptoms.

Wash your hands. One of the easiest and most effective measures to prevent colds and the flu is by washing your hands thoroughly and frequently. This reduces the proliferation of bacteria and the cold or flu virus from common spaces or surfaces. 【小题2】 Wash your hands carefully for 20 seconds, making sure to get under your nails, between your fingers, and the front and back of your hands.

Cover your nose and mouth. Put your hand or tissue (纸巾) over both your nose and mouth whenever you cough or sneeze. Covering sneezes and coughs lowers the risk of spreading your germs (细菌) and the viruses. 【小题3】

【小题4】 The cold and flu are very contagious (接触传染的) and generally spread where crowds of people gather round. Wash your hands after touching surfaces in crowded places. If you feel ill, stay home for at least a day to reduce your risk of spreading your cold or flu to others, or making your case worse by catching something else.

Get enough rest. Making sure that you allow your body to rest can ease your symptoms and help you more quickly recover from a cold or the flu. 【小题5】 Getting enough rest also lowers the risk of you infecting family members, friends, or colleagues. Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night and take a short break, which can help your immune system fight any developing cold or flu virus.