As the outbreak of COVID-19, commonly referred to as the coronavirus, spreads across the country, anyone can take basic steps to help avoid infection, just as they should with seasonal influenza.

University of Mississippi Medical Center infectious diseases experts and the World Health Organization (WHO) advise frequent hand-washing as a first line of defense. Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with soap and water as directed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or with a hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol to kill viruses that may be on your hands.

Chances are good that at some point, you’ve had some sort of coronavirus.

Chances are slim, however, that those living in Mississippi are at risk for the novel coronavirus strain making news headlines, a new coronavirus that’s the cause of a worldwide outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in late 2019 in Wuhan City in China’s Hubei Province.

Most of us have meditated a time or two, but how about being mindful?

Just like meditation, practicing mindfulness can help improve your physical, mental and emotional health. Mindfulness is a type of meditation, with your focus being in the moment—being very aware of what you are sensing and feeling right then.

Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States?

As the nation observes February as American Heart Month, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute is encouraging children and adults alike to live a heart-healthy life by making necessary lifestyle changes, one step at a time.

Flu shots are recommended for most adults and children, but what about a pneumonia shot?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adult patients and parents of small children discuss the pneumococcal vaccine (PCV) with their providers. Different types of the vaccine are recommended for groups that include children younger than 2; people ages 2 and up with certain health conditions; older adults; and adults who smoke cigarettes.

Be a healthier you in 2020 by focusing on good nutrition, physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight, experts say. They’re key to your well-being and are routes to avoiding or better managing high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

“The key to a successful dietary or fitness change is creating a goal that is specific, measurable, achievable/realistic, and time-oriented,” said Dr. Josie Bidwell, associate professor in the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Preventive Medicine. “Once you have a good goal, then an action plan and back-up plan give the road map to achieving it.”