Can you reinfect yourself with the same virus

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An average clinical trial length is 11 — 14 days. To apply for FluCamp please complete our online form. We'll call you back within 24 hours to explain the next steps so you can decide if it's for you. Information contained in this story may be outdated. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Follow Us. Toggle Main Menu. Alert icon. It would be rare for it to mutate enough in your community that you could catch it again in the same season, he adds.

You might have heard that you should throw away your toothbrush , wash your sheets, or disinfect the house after an illness in order to avoid getting sick again. Javaid and Dr. Other tips to follow: Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom and blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, the CDC says. On a related note, cough and sneeze into tissues or your upper shirt sleeve to avoid spraying your germs through the air.

If not, try to avoid touching other people, back away from them when you need to cough or sneeze, and disinfect the items you touch frequently.

Nobody wants to be Gwyneth Paltrow in Contagion. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

First, you should know that several different and extremely disrespectful viruses can cause the common cold. However, you can still get another cold from a different virus serotype or a different virus. Fortunately, lipstick, lip balms and mascara often contain anti-microbial ingredients, reducing the number of germs flourishing in them, said Gerba.

But, don't share makeup! When it comes spreading colds and influenza, bar soap and towels can be germ factories. After rubbing hands on the soap, the germs remain on the bar, said Gerba. If people fail to sufficiently wash the germs off their hands, the leftovers may cling to hand towels.

Sheets can also harbor germs, which could infect a healthy bed partner if they remain unwashed after illness. But they can linger up to 24 hours on hard surfaces, such as counters, tables, computer keyboards, and remote controls. It doesn't take much to clean away most germs, fortunately.