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Q.

How Can I Avoid Getting Cholera?

Related Topics: Cholera
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Answers From Experts & Organizations (1)

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A.

Although there is a vaccine against cholera, the CDC and World Health Organization don't normally recommend it because it may not protect up to half of the people who receive it and it lasts only a few months. However, you can protect yourself and your family by using only water that has been boiled, water that has been chemically disinfected, or bottled water. Be sure to use the bottled, boiled, or chemically disinfected water for the following purposes:

  • Drinking
  • Preparing food or drinks
  • Making ice
  • Brushing your teeth
  • Washing your face and hands
  • Washing dishes and utensils that you use to eat or prepare food
  • Washing fruits and vegetables

To disinfect your own water, boil it for one minute or filter it and add two drops of bleach or one-half of an iodine tablet per liter of water.

You should also avoid raw foods, including the following:

  • Unpeeled fruits and vegetables
  • Unpasteurized milk and milk products
  • Raw or undercooked meat or shellfish
  • Fish caught in tropical reefs, which may be contaminated

This answer should not be considered medical advice...down arrowThis answer should not be considered medical advice and should not take the place of a doctor’s visit. Please see the bottom of the page for more information or visit our Terms and Conditions.up arrow

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Read the Original Article: Cholera FAQ: Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention, and More