A medical student wakes up one morning with symptoms of a bad cold. He thinks back to his behaviors from the past week. Which of the following events is most likely to have been the method of transmission for his infection?

Respiratory infections such as colds can spread through droplets or contaminated surfaces when caring for someone who is sick. Not wearing gloves could expose him to germs from the patient or nearby surfaces, making that the most likely transmission event. Washing hands helps prevent infection, and wet hair or eating too much food do not cause a cold.

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