Here are three simple practices for people in the community and three others for anyone in a hospital or nursing home (where MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant bacteria may be more common, and patients more vulnerable):

In community settings

• Practice proper hand hygiene: In both environments, the best prevention is simply washing your hands for at least 15 seconds (sing the happy birthday song twice) and using hand sanitizer containing a minimum of 60% alcohol the right way – rub until your hands are dry. Handwashing 101.
• Be aware of what you share: Forget what your mother told you about sharing. Towels, razors, equipment, sports gear and heavily trafficked environments (like gyms, classrooms, etc.) are potential bacteria breeding grounds. Keep wounds covered and clean, avoid touching wounds of others, and shower after sports activities.
• Spare the antibiotics: Superbugs are a manmade problem, thanks in large part to the improper use of antibiotics. Don’t press your doctor to prescribe unnecessary antibiotics.

In health care settings

• Practice proper hand hygiene: Forget high tech – when you are in a health care setting, remember to wash your hands after touching surfaces like bed rails and IV poles.
• Don't be shy: Demand proper hand hygiene from health care providers – request that they use hand sanitizer before and after treating you. Ask about the hospital's policy and practices regarding infection prevention and control. It's your right; it’s everyone's responsibility.
• Don't pass it on: Preventing transmission truly takes a village. Proper hand hygiene is not only for hospital staff and patients – anyone entering a hospital can unintentionally bring in, or take a bug home. Remember to wash your hands before and after visiting loved ones.