How Germs Spread

Germs — bacteria and viruses — are too small to see, but they are very good at traveling from one person to another. Understanding how they spread is the first step to stopping them.

Four main ways germs spread

• Droplets — when someone coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets carrying germs shoot into the air. Anyone nearby can breathe them in.
• Direct contact — touching an infected person — shaking hands, hugging — can pass germs directly between people.
• Contaminated surfaces — germs land on surfaces like door handles, tables, and phones. You touch the surface, then touch your face, and the germ enters your body.
• Contaminated food or water — some germs spread through food or water that has not been handled or cleaned properly.

How a cold spreads — the chain of infection

1. Step 1: A person catches a cold virus. The virus is inside their body.
2. Step 2: They cough or sneeze without covering their mouth — releasing droplets into the air.
3. Step 3: Someone nearby breathes in the droplets, or touches a surface the droplets landed on and then touches their face.
4. Step 4: The virus enters the second person's body and they begin to feel ill.

Breaking the chain

• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow — stops droplets spreading.
• Wash hands frequently — removes germs from surfaces before they reach your face.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth — the entry points for most germs.
• Stay home when you are sick — prevents passing germs to others.