When injecting drugs, the best protection is to never re-use injection equipment. Cleaning injection equipment is not guaranteed to kill the hepatitis C virus.
have a fit, spoon, water, filter, swab and tourniquet
wash your hands with warm soapy water before and after injecting
clean the spoon with a fresh swab
keep all your utensils separate from your friend’s utensils
inject yourself - but if someone else does inject you, make sure he/she has
washed his/her hands
if you get blood on your hands, go and wash them before you touch anything on
the table - if someone asks you to pass them something, tell them
to wait
if you do touch something before you’re able to wash your hands, treat it as
contaminated
dispose of your used fits, filters, swabs, etc, properly by putting them into a
sharps container - or use an empty plastic drink bottle or
detergent container. (Look for the letters PET on the bottom of the
plastic bottles, as these are especially strong.) Be careful not to
dispose of your fits in aluminum cans or glass bottles. Kids
collect cans for recycling and could get needlesticks, and glass
bottles can easily break.
remember - use new equipment every time. Cleaning equipment doesn’t always kill
the hepatitis C virus.
remember - wash your hands with soap and water before and after injecting. You
can’t always see minute amounts of blood.
remember - make the bench or table where you’re injecting as clean as possible.
