Como dizer "como o diabo foge da cruz" em inglês

Português: fugir de alguém ou alguma coisa como o diabo foge da cruz
Inglês: avoid somebody or something like the plague

Exemplos:

1. When he was in high school, he avoided girls like the plague.
2. As a matter of fact he avoids them like the plague because he is highly allergic to them.
3. Clinton always had time for the press pool - Obama avoids them like the plague.