Book excerpt: Stay safe and stay calm. A New York University microbiologist gives you the knowledge you need to protect yourself from COVID-19 and other common infectious diseases. With the spread of COVID-19, the world has never felt less safe. And with so much advice out there, it's hard to know whether you're taking the right precautions to stay safe. Don't panic: there are simple steps you can take to best protect yourself from infection. Professor of microbiology and pathology at NYU School of Medicine Dr. Philip M. Tierno Jr. cuts through the noise with to-the-point explanations, checklists, and best practices in this brief yet authoritative guide to protecting yourself from infectious diseases. First walking you through what germs are and how every infection happens, First, Wear a Face Mask offers calming, straightforward advice to address the ongoing spread of COVID-19 as well as the germs that imperil us every year. This practical approach will give you peace of mind as it helps you learn how to protect yourself in a variety of scenarios, from cooking at home to eating out, from your everyday commute to air travel. With tips and tidbits of history, he guides you through taking care of your home, kids, and pets. Dr. Tierno has more than 40 years of experience in the clinical and medical microbiology fields and recently appeared as an expert during the pandemic on CNN in conversation with Chris Cuomo and on Doctor Radio. And in this book, he distills his wide-ranging knowledge into actionable, digestible steps. Although there is no impenetrable shield to infection, there's a lot you can do to increase your odds of staying safe. Arm yourself with knowledge, keep calm and carry hand sanitizer.