When a contagious illness enters a household, the risk of transmission to healthy residents is high because viruses and bacteria can spread through multiple pathways. Infectious respiratory illnesses are commonly passed via respiratory droplets expelled when an individual coughs, sneezes, or talks. These pathogens can also be transferred through direct contact, such as touching an infected person, or indirectly by touching contaminated surfaces, known as fomites. Implementing proactive, layered prevention measures significantly reduces the viral or bacterial load in the shared environment and helps interrupt these common transmission chains.
Creating Physical Separation
The most effective initial strategy is to establish a dedicated “sick zone” to minimize physical proximity between the ill person and healthy household members. If possible, the sick individual should be confined to one room for sleeping and recovery, and ideally use a separate bathroom. This physical barrier immediately limits the exposure of others to airborne droplets and contaminated surfaces.
Healthy residents should aim to maintain a distance of at least six feet (approximately two meters) from the sick person, especially when they must enter the isolation room for care. To avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen, the sick individual should use separate dishes, glasses, and eating utensils. These items should be cleaned separately, preferably in a dishwasher, or thoroughly washed with hot water and soap after each use.
Personal hygiene items must also be kept strictly separate, including towels, washcloths, and bedding. The sick person should not be responsible for preparing food for the rest of the family to prevent the accidental transmission of pathogens. Staggering mealtimes and using separate common areas can further reduce the time healthy people spend in potentially contaminated air space.
Implementing Strict Personal Hygiene
Consistent and correct personal hygiene is the primary defense healthy individuals have against self-contamination. Handwashing with soap and water should be performed for a minimum of 20 seconds, ensuring that all surfaces, including the back of the hands, between the fingers, and under the nails, are thoroughly scrubbed. The combination of soap, water, and friction physically lifts and washes away germs.
If soap and water are not immediately available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol should be used, covering all hand surfaces until the hands are dry. Healthy residents must consciously avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth. This practice prevents pathogens collected from the environment from entering the body through mucous membranes.
When the ill person must leave their designated area or when a healthy person is providing care, both should consider wearing a face mask to contain respiratory droplets. Tissues used by the sick person should be immediately placed into a lined trash can, followed by immediate handwashing. This simple action prevents contaminated tissues from becoming a source of surface transmission.
Decontaminating the Shared Environment
Managing the household environment requires a clear distinction between cleaning and disinfecting to effectively reduce the pathogen load on surfaces. Cleaning involves removing dirt and impurities, which is a necessary first step as visible dirt can shield germs from disinfectants. Disinfecting follows cleaning and involves using an EPA-registered product to kill the remaining bacteria and viruses.
Disinfectants require a specific contact time, or dwell time, which is the amount of time the surface must remain visibly wet to ensure the product works as intended, often between 3 to 10 minutes. High-touch surfaces require the most attention because they are frequently handled by both the sick and healthy residents, acting as common transfer points.
High-touch surfaces include:
- Doorknobs
- Light switches
- Faucet handles
- Toilet flush levers
- Refrigerator handles
- Electronic devices like remotes and keyboards
Laundry and bedding from the sick person should be handled gently and never shaken before washing to minimize the aerosolization of particles. Items should be washed using the warmest appropriate water setting and dried completely. To improve indoor air quality, increase ventilation by opening windows or use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to capture airborne viral particles.