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Vaccination

The first step is to get vaccinated. The Chilean Health Department Vaccination Schedule is designed to prevent infection due to bacterial (such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) and viral (such as hepatitis) diseases. Having your vaccination record up to date allows preventing infection and the spread of these diseases.

Hygiene

Washing hands is an effective method to prevent different diseases. That is why, it is recommended to do it regularly and properly, which means; first wet your hands; then lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap; and finally scrub your hands for at least 30 seconds.

You need to wash your hands several times a day. For example:

• every time you go to the bathroom • after sneezing or blowing your nose • after playing or being with animals • before every meal

The oral cavity may also be a place where pathogenic bacteria proliferate, like those causing cavities. For this reason, brushing and flossing your teeth is essential to maintain a good oral health

Washing fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables, especially those that we eat raw, we must properly soak, wash and rinse to eliminate dirt, insects and bacteria residues. When they are not properly clean, you may get a gastrointestinal disease.

Cross-contamination

In the kitchen, raw food must be separate from cooked food, and you must use different utensils to cook each type of food. In this way, we prevent “cross-contamination”. In addition, it is essential to properly wash the kitchen utensils, especially those used to handle raw meat. Bacteria present in the meat die when the meat is cooked, but if raw vegetables are prepared with the same unwashed utensils, it is possible those bacteria cause an infection or food poisoning.