How can a person protect themselves from getting hepatitis C and other diseases spread by contact with human blood?
• Don’t ever shoot drugs. If you shoot drugs, stop and get into a treatment program. If you can’t stop, never reuse or share syringes, water, or drug works, and get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. • Do not share toothbrushes, razors, or other personal care articles. They might have blood on them. • If you are a healthcare worker, always follow routine barrier precautions and safely handle needles and other sharps. Get vaccinated against hepatitis B. • Consider the health risks if you are thinking about getting a tattoo or body piercing. You can get infected if: • the tools that are used have someone else’s blood on them. • the artist or piercer doesn’t follow good health practices, such as washing hands and using disposable gloves. HCV can be spread by sex, but this does not occur very often. If you are having sex, but not with one steady partner: • You and your partners can get other diseases spread by having sex (e.g., AIDS, hepatitis B, gonorrhea or chlamydia). • You
