new office buildout, a set on Flickr.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Germs! Eeeek!
Here is some info I have gathered in response to the current craze about germs.
The current state of worry all began with the flu epidemics of recent years, and research that shows that the flu virus can live far longer, especially on non-porous surfaces, than cold viruses live. Other research shows that we tend to touch our mouths, noses and eye areas a lot. Great, tell me something I don't know.
The important part of the latest research gets lost in our panic, though. People, if you are worried about touching the flu virus, or the cold virus, you better wear gloves all the time. Because that next doorknob, and the one after that, are just as likely to have that same virus that you successfully navigated in the bathroom. And, the viruses don't enter your bloodstream through your skin. You have to touch your mouth, eye or nose. So wash your hands, use hand sanitizer properly, but do it mostly when your hands are going to be closest to your eyes, nose and mouth. For more on this, here are links to a NYT column on virus transmission
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/health/15real.html
and a link to a study of how often we tend to touch our mouth, eyes and nose.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15459620802003896.
Pay particular attention to the study's conclusion that states that there is not a whole lot of research that shows very clearly exactly how much at risk we are. It is more important to be aware of how to keep ourselves healthy. So better carry that paper towel around all day long! Or, better make sure that you are cleaning everything that goes in to your mouth, eyes and nose. I know I don't, but I try. Doesn't that count for something?
Carry on.
The current state of worry all began with the flu epidemics of recent years, and research that shows that the flu virus can live far longer, especially on non-porous surfaces, than cold viruses live. Other research shows that we tend to touch our mouths, noses and eye areas a lot. Great, tell me something I don't know.
The important part of the latest research gets lost in our panic, though. People, if you are worried about touching the flu virus, or the cold virus, you better wear gloves all the time. Because that next doorknob, and the one after that, are just as likely to have that same virus that you successfully navigated in the bathroom. And, the viruses don't enter your bloodstream through your skin. You have to touch your mouth, eye or nose. So wash your hands, use hand sanitizer properly, but do it mostly when your hands are going to be closest to your eyes, nose and mouth. For more on this, here are links to a NYT column on virus transmission
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/health/15real.html
and a link to a study of how often we tend to touch our mouth, eyes and nose.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15459620802003896.
Pay particular attention to the study's conclusion that states that there is not a whole lot of research that shows very clearly exactly how much at risk we are. It is more important to be aware of how to keep ourselves healthy. So better carry that paper towel around all day long! Or, better make sure that you are cleaning everything that goes in to your mouth, eyes and nose. I know I don't, but I try. Doesn't that count for something?
Carry on.
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