12 Tips for Staying Safe and Healthy in a Crowd: Better Safe Than Sorry

You're seated in a venue with a thousand other people. Which do you feel more threatened by: a fire, or a stranger sneezing on you?

Chances are, most of us aren't very concerned about either. Which is an acceptable attitude to have -- both pose relatively minor health risks. But they pose risks nonetheless. And with a little more mindfulness you can better protect your health and safety in the rare case that something goes wrong at the concert hall or football game. We're not suggesting you avoid crowds. Just be sure to follow these tips to keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy while you're out living life to the fullest.

1. Keep your hands in your pockets. Remember the golden equation for getting sick: Germ gets on hands, hands touch face, germ enters body, you get sick. Where there are crowds, there are germs -- millions of them -- on every surface. Don't touch them and they won't make you sick.

2. Carry a bottle of hand sanitizer. Use it after porta-potty visits, before eating, and anytime you feel contaminated by the microbes of the masses.

3. Stick a pair of earplugs in your purse or pocket. If the event gets too loud, or you get stuck standing next to the speakers, stick 'em in your ears.

4. Look for the emergency exit signs as you enter a large venue. It takes only seconds -- and those seconds could turn out to be the best you ever spent. One study found that more than half of fatalities at concerts occurred when people were trying to get out of the building or concert setting.

5. Note how many people the building can safely hold (the figure should be on a sign near the front door). If you feel that number is exceeded, reduce it by one -- yourself.