"Contagion," the 2011 movie thriller about a dangerous virus spreading quickly around the globe, is suddenly in big demand on iTunes (recently ranking No. 8), and became the second-most popular film in the Warner Bros. catalog, up from No. 270 last year.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has many unpredictable effects besides making old movies popular again, and people are looking for ways to make sense of what's being reported.

So "The Dr. Oz Show" developed a straightforward set of protocols to help you reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious agents:

• Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water.
• Avoid handshakes, which transfer 10 times as many germs as a fist bump. You can also just say hello.
• Refrain from touching your face.
• Clean all surfaces you touch frequently with a disinfectant spray instead of wipes.
• Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Invest in a HEPA-filter air purifier and humidifier. (Viruses don't like humidity.)
• Upgrade your lifestyle habits: Sleep at least seven hours each night; exercise for 30 minutes at least every other day; and meditate to reduce stress, which impairs immunity.
• Increase your fruit and vegetable intake, take vitamin D3 (1,200 IU daily), and get your flu shot. If you're sick, take zinc (80 mg daily), vitamin C (250 mg twice a day), beta-glucan (250 mg daily), and elderberry syrup or lozenges four times daily for five days.
• Stock up on medicines you need in case you're quarantined or they become in short supply.