What should patients do to prevent the spread of pneumonia?

• A. Cover nose and mouth with tissue when coughing or sneezing, and dispose of it properly
• B. Eat a healthy diet
• C. Exercise regularly
• D. Avoid vaccines

Answer: (A)

Preventing the spread of pneumonia hinges on interrupting respiratory droplet transmission. When someone coughs or sneezes, droplets can spray into the air and onto surfaces. Covering the nose and mouth with a tissue and disposing of it properly, followed by hand hygiene, helps contain those droplets and reduce environmental contamination. This direct action to stop transmission makes it the best choice. While a healthy diet and regular exercise support overall health, they don’t directly prevent the spread of infection to others. Avoiding vaccines removes a proven preventive measure and could increase the risk of pneumonia, so it’s not appropriate for stopping spread.