Interesting article in The Portland Tribune on September 24, 2009. The Portland Tribune is a weekly paper that is free. Some of the highlights of the article:
NOT-SO-BAD-GERM-SOURCES:
Toilet seats. The cleanest place in most offices and homes as the surfaces are cleaned the most often.
Inside bathroom doorknobs. People usually have clean hands when they leave the rest room. The outside bathroom doorknobs are more germier.
Light switches. Often touched only twice a day.
Dishes. Amazingly clean.
OVERLOOKED GERM HOTSPOTS:
Computer keyboard and mice. When is the last time you cleaned either?
Television remote. Same question.
Telephones. Door number three, question number one.
Grocery cart handles. 80% tested positive for E-Coli.
In addition the article said that women will often use one of their feet to flush the toilet and that is one of the worse things you can do to keep germs from spreading. The bottom of your shoes carry a lot of germs and while you may use your shoes to flush the toilet the next person might not. The next person could pickup germs from your shoes and spread them to the next person they contact. The best thing to do is to use your hands to flush the toilet, then wash your hands and use hand sanitizer.
The article also made note of the fact that people are now more fearful of shaking hands. Patti Woods, author of "Success Signals: Understanding Body Language", was quoted as saying that businesses are losing one of its most valuable means of establishing trust, the handshake. She was quoted as saying "handshakes are about the only legal form of touch we have in the business world." She suggests that you carry hand sanitizer in your pocket and use it after you shake someone's hands.
The article also listed some places that were doing different things to prevent the spread of germs. One company replaced their bowls of M & M's and put them in pourable pitchers. You can read the entire article here:
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=125373693848697500
Staying on the same subject according to the Department of Health here is should get the Swine Flu shot:
Pregnant women.
People who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age.
People with heart trouble.
Children and young people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years.
Health care workers and emergency medical service providers.
People between 25 and 64 years of age who have chronic medical disorders or compromised immune systems.
Surprisingly the elderly are not a high risk group for the Swine flu.
Questions of the day. Does anything in the article about germs surprise you? (Yes, he toilet seat being the cleanest place). What are you doing to protect yourself and others? (I am just more aware when I cough in public places.) Are you doing anything extra like wearing gloves or masks? (No to both.) Washing your hands more? (Definitely.) Should we all try harder to prevent the spreading of germs? If so, should we shake on it?
TODAY'S TRIVIA:
Yesterday's answers: They all have anchors, they all played football in college, they were former U.S. national capitals, they can all be pulled, and they were former names of The Beatles.
What do these things have in common::
The Mouse That Roared, Dr. Strangelove, and The Pink Panther. In addition to being movies.
Baseball Games, Men's blue jeans, and trash dumps.
A party, a tapeworm, and a talk show.
Pete Rose, The Beatles, and A mob assassin.
Mr. Robinson, Gumby, and Buckwheat.
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10 comments:
I do think a lot of people have become a bit obsessive about the germ thing. I'm extra careful in some areas, because of contact with Mom and not wanting to catch or pass anything on to her. That said, I don't buy antibacterial soaps or carry hand sanitizers or the like. I do wash my hands a lot more than I used to. I'd probably fall on my tush if I tried to flush a toilet with my foot. That one surprised me, had never heard of it. I'm not taking any extra precautions, although I am more aware of people sneezing/coughing around me. Oh, and I washed my keyboard and mouse today (g) - major cleaning of office.
Hi Dr
I also think people are to obsessive about the germ thing. Like you because of mom I've been extremely careful with passing things on.
I had to laugh at your comment about falling on your tush. I've tried to flush with my foot, maybe when I have my cell phone handy so I can 911 if I fall, I'll try it.
And after reading the article I washed both the keyboard and the remote.
But, how many people in your house touch the remote? In our house, it's only Himself. Does that make a difference?
Hi DR
Good point, however, they are a lot of things in my house that I am the only one to touch that end up with a lot of germs. On the remove control maybe when I open the door airbourne germs can come in. Or maybe I touched something outside the home and then came home and touched the remote.
I truly didn't think about the remote until the article. Now I will.
Bill
I agree with DR. I think some people are obsessive. I tend to wash my hands a lot, but other than that, don't do anything special. I bravely just grab a cart at the supermarket and haven't caught anything yet. I do flush public toilets, the ones with that lever at the back, with my foot. At home, like DR, I'd throw my back out or fall on the floor if I tried it. I don't wash my keyboard, but nobody uses it but me and occasionally my daughter. Same for the remote(s). I occasionally clean out my trackball if it starts to stick, otherwise not.
I believe in acquired immunity.
Hi Pat
I agree that some people are obsessive and I may even be. However, I am not taking any chances to get mom sick so I am doing a lot of stuff that I haven't before including taking the hand wipes they have next to the grocery carts and cleaning of the handles.
Bill
My child came home from school the other day saying that they learned to cough and sneeze into their elbow with Germy Wormie, and I was totally taken aback. I always covered with my hands. But I went to the website and now I get it, hands touch, elbows don't!! Kids can touch 300 surfaces in 1/2 hour and they hate to wash their hands. This is a simple thing that can make a huge difference. Also, there is a DVD the kids love, and it teaches them in a fun way other necessary hygiene habits, as well as the elbow cough.
Hi Anon
Thanks for posting and welcome to the blog.
I like the way the school taught you child how to cough.
That is absolutely amazing that they touch 300 surfaces in 1/2 hour.
In another blog that I go to the blog master had two high school students home ill. I guess now schools are pleased when you keep them home unlike my days where you were carried to school on your death bad.
Hope you stick around. Nice people post here.
Bill
I think I agree with most here and say I don't really do anything much different now other than maybe washing my hands more often.
Most of what the article said I had heard before so didn't surprise me much. I think I disagree with some though, given where you are and who is doing the cleaning?/ You just never know sometimes.
Being here when mom was alive we did take a little more precautions than we ever did, and I just think sometimes that comes with caring for sick/elderly.
I have used my foot to flush when out in a facility when shopping or such when I didn't think I wanted my hand on the flusher. But not at home....I would definitely fall, I am surprised I didn't fall when I used my foot outside the home!
I also tried using the wipes they have at some grocery stores, but found that each time (twice) I used them I found the handle to be more sticky...so opted to just go on as I had always done and wash my hands when I got home.
I think a lot of people who weren't already obsessive enough are maybe a bit more now. I just have never been one of those.
Now the Shankster has gotten more to where he will not go around someone who he knows is sick as he will get it just by being in the same room. No joke. Since his Heart Attack we have found that out.
So I try to be more careful in that respect. When he gets sick it none too pretty. :)
Hi Dona
It isn't pretty when I'm ill either, that is why I like to be alone in my own misery when I'm sick. I'm glad we are all washing are hands more!
You don't know sometimes that is why I error on the side of caution and do more cleaning than normal.
The grocery store you have to use the wipes and then a dry towel to clean off the handles.
With heart problems you have to be really careful and I notice I am more careful and advise my mom to be.
Bill
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