Prevention tips to limit the spread of colds and flu
Tips for everyone
- Regularly wash your hands throughout the day. Consider personal use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser gel, which is commonly available for purchase from pharmacies and supermarkets.
- If possible, limit personal contact (such as handshaking) and keep a reasonable distance (about a metre) during your contact with people who indicate that they are unwell or think they may be unwell.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in a plastic-lined rubbish bin after you use it. Then wash your hands. If you do not have a tissue, you can cough or sneeze into your sleeve or inner elbow.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Wash your hands afterwards if you have been in contact with a person or material (such as paperwork) from someone suspected of being unwell, before moving on to other business.
- Seek medical advice if you have symptoms of a cold or flu. Do this as soon as possible if you have a pre-existing medical condition, are an older person or are pregnant. Please see: Getting Medical Advice and Treatment.
Tips just for staff
- Wipe shared surfaces in your workplace with a disinfectant wipe regularly in flu season. Disinfectant wipes are available for purchase from the University’s contracted stationery supplier, Lyreco (eg Impega Cleaning Multi-Purpose Wipes, Product Code 322.239) or from pharmacies or supermarkets.
- Practice good hygiene in staff rooms and where there is shared preparation of food.
- Vaccination may be available during flu season at your department's cost. Please refer to Occupational Health Influenza Vaccination program.
- Don’t attend work if you are ill, and go home if you fall ill during the day. Let your supervisor know if you are unwell and will be absent from work, or are caring for a family member who is unwell.
Tips just for students
- Wipe shared surfaces in your household or shared spaces with a disinfectant wipe regularly in flu season. Disinfectant wipes are available for purchase from pharmacies or supermarkets.
- Practice good hygiene in class rooms and where there is shared preparation of food.
- Vaccination for influenza is available during flu season at a small cost, either from the University Health Service or your own General Practitioner. Please see: Getting medical advice and treatment.
- Don’t attend the University if you are ill, and go home if you fall ill during the day.
- If you have any queries or concerns about illness in relation to your studies, please contact your Student Centre.