Lead by Example

Get in the habit of being a preparedness role model for your family and in your community. Modeling healthy behaviors, attitudes, and habits, like getting a seasonal flu vaccine and frequent handwashing, can inspire others to do the same. This section of Create Community suggests ways you can inspire family members and people in your community to prepare their health. You never know who’s watching.

The Basics

• Children like to help.  Involve them in gathering emergency supplies and in learning practical skills, such as effective handwashing and how to cover coughs and sneezes.
• Practice and teach others everyday preventative actions that can help slow the spread of germs:
  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (or inside of your elbow) when you cough or sneeze
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
  • Wash your hands often—especially at key times when you are likely to get and spread germs—with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• Get a flu vaccine every year before flu activity begins in your community. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a vaccine every season with rare exception. CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October.