BRAINCAKEPreventing Viral Diseases
Because viral diseases are hard to treat, prevention is the most effective approach. Prevention works by breaking the chain of transmission, so that virus particles never reach a new host. The method used depends on how the virus spreads.
Airborne viruses (influenza, COVID-19, colds):
• covering coughs and sneezes, and disposing of tissues
• face masks, good ventilation and staying at home when ill
Contact and fomites:
• frequent hand washing with soap, or alcohol hand gel
• disinfecting surfaces; gloves and aprons in hospitals
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Key terms in this lesson
- vector
- An organism, such as an insect, that transmits a pathogen from one host to another.
More in Prokaryotic Cells
- Retrovirus Replication
- Viruses and Disease
- The Spread of Viral Diseases
- Treating Viral Diseases
- Vaccination
- Disease Control
- Drug Development
- Pandemics
All 31 lessons in Prokaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics