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Even nurses get sick

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I took care of two members of our family who got sick two weeks ago. Then last Saturday, I felt the symptoms (body malaise, colds and cough)  and I took on the role of a patient on that day. At first the symptoms were mild but last Tuesday evening, my cough became paroxysmal and I had severe headache.  Luckily, we have a doctor-in-residence (our youngest daughter, Leah), who nebulized me. After the treatment, I was able to sleep soundly. I have experienced healing but I am still recovering as I finish writing this. Meanwhile, a deadline has to be met and life has to go on. 

Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, also known as “Dr. Germ”  reports about the most germ-infested places we encounter everyday. From the moment we wake up until the time we sleep, we pick  up germs along the way, not just a few but a good number of them. Most of the time, we do not get sick but sometimes the bug hits us and “Bong!” we are hit.

Let us track where the worst microbes are in the course of the day. Dr. Gerba claims that as we prepare  for the day, we  may be coming in contact with germs. 

1. Our clothes. Dr. Gerba found out in his researches that our clothes can harbor salmonella, hepatitis, and other viruses. Most of us do not use hot water or bleach anymore to wash our clothes. His advise:  use hot water or run the dryer for more than 30 minutes to kill germs.

2. Our kitchen. This place harbors more pathogens than those found in our bathrooms because of our own germs and those on raw meat and other foods. The worst offenders are the kitchen sink, kitchen sponge and kitchen counters. His advise:  use paper towels instead of sponge and clean kitchen sink with a disposable disinfectant wipe, especially after handling raw meat or other produce.

3. Our commute: Dr. Gerba says that if one travels via public transport, he/she is six times more likely to get sick than he/she walks or drives. This is because of the people (and their germs) which one comes in contact with. His advise: use hand sanitizer or wash your hands after getting off a public transport. And make that hand washing thorough! He and his associates found out that “only half of the people who went to the sink used soap in a public restroom.”

4. Our belongings: Dr. Gerba further reports that if you washed your hands thoroughly and then grab your bag or cellphone, you may be defeating the purpose. Dr. Gerba claims that he has swabbed the bottoms of women’s bags and he found out that about a third of them are contaminated with fecal bacteria, probably because they were placed on the floor of public restrooms. When it comes to our phones, Dr. Gerba has tested cellphones that contained 100,000 bacteria. Since our cellphones are with us most of the time —in the toilet, at the table, or elsewhere–they are uniquely positioned to spread germs. His advice: hang your bag on the hook instead of placing it on the floor and wipe your cellphone with an alcohol-free antiseptic wipe (Elisabeth Leamy, Washington Post, Dec.14, 2017).

Take heed of Dr. Gerba’s advice because while being exposed to germs may make one stronger, however, it may kill you.  Remember:  “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

_____________________________

Author’s email: [email protected]

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