Final answer:
If you're exposed to bodily fluids, you should not ignore the exposure. Instead, you should immediately wash the area with soap and water, use personal protective equipment, follow proper disposal protocols, and avoid risky behavior that could lead to infection. Disinfect contaminated surfaces with a bleach solution and seek post-exposure treatments if needed.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you're exposed to blood or other bodily fluids during an accident and it splashes on you, you should do all of the following, EXCEPT ignore the exposure. It is essential to take immediate action to reduce the risk of infection. Health-care workers and others in similar situations need to follow strict protocols to prevent transmission of diseases such as Hepatitis B (HBV) and other infections. Using personal protective equipment like gloves, goggles, and safety aprons, as well as proper disposal methods for needles and syringes, greatly reduce the risk. If skin is exposed, it should be washed with soap and water, and possibly treated with antiseptics or other post-exposure treatments as recommended by health guidelines. Surfaces that may have come into contact with infectious fluids must be disinfected, with a 10% bleach solution being a common recommendation by the CDC. In addition, you should avoid practices that increase the chance of contact with potentially infected bodily fluids, like getting tattoos or piercings with equipment that has not been sterilized. If you do happen to develop an infection, it's important to avoid spreading it, by not going to public places, covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough, and not sharing personal items. Lastly, in a laboratory or healthcare setting, contaminated waste should be properly disposed of, and protective gear should be worn to reduce the chance of infection through direct contact with body fluids such as blood, semen, or saliva. It's critical to follow the established safety procedures and use the recommended solutions for cleaning both the exposed skin and equipment.