Handsfree Dispenser

      By now, we probably all have heard about the supebug MRSA, methicillin resistant staphlococcus aureus. It is prevalent in hospitals but has also invaded public gyms and other places where a break in the skin can be a source of infection.                                                                       

     Another less well known superbug is Clostriium difficile, popularly called C-Diff.  It is the mother of all diarrheas, a gut-wrenching, non-stop variety, accompanied by pain and fever.  Ironically C-Diff also lurks in a hospital setting  where the immune system compromised and elderly people are the most vulnerable.  Jails and prisoners have also reported cases.  The Center for Disease Control estimates that this microbe has attacked at least 225,000 hospital visitors in recent moths.

    It is thought that the overuse of antibiotics created C-Diff by eliminating the helpful bacteria in the intestine. Even harsher antibiotics are used to combat the illness.  At times those infected can have recurrences.

     Hospital patients, caregivers, visitors, and all maintenance personnel must wash their hands upon entering a patient’s room and also when leaving in case of cross-contamination.  The CDC says that handwashing can prevent illness. Hand sanitizer is also useful. Most importantly always wash or sanitize your hands before eating.

     The government recently has had warnings on TV that the Swine Flu statistics will be increasing in our country.This is influenced by global travel.  The strategy to use here to avoid becoming a Swine Flu statistic is to use plain, ordinary common sense.  As with any infection, in this case influenza, our hands are the most frequent transmitter of germs.  Next is sneezing and coughing into the air.

      Let’s take cross-contamination via germ-ridden hands.  We can pick up many illness-causing germs by using phones, keyboards, door handles, shopping carts, money, shaking hands, pubic restroom devices and the list goes on.  Illness can be avoided by simple and proper handwashing says the Center for Disease Control.   When using a public restroom, the final germ free devices are hands free towel dispensers and hands free door openers.  Feel confident with these.

      Keyboards, phones, door knobs, shopping carts, and other objects can be disinfected with germicidal wipes. Anther way to rid the hands of contamination is to carry hand sanitizer.  Use it after handling objects and before eating.

     Sneeze and cough into your elbow. This action shields the germs from becoming airborne. The elbow is not used to handle things.  These simple steps can keep you healthy.

      Evidently restroom messages that warn about spreading germs or getting sick by not washing hands is not as effective in motivating restroom users as gross messages with graphic pictures. At least not with students at Denver University.

 Researchers observed that female students were leaving the restrooms without washing their hands. At first they tried messages that warned about germs and getting sick but these didn’t mean much to the students.  So they switched to posters with graphic images and gross messages. Some examples were “poo-poo’s on your hands, wash your hands”, “you just peed, wash your hands’, and “who else sat on this pot?,wash your hands”.  These signs brought about a change of a 26% increase in handwashing for the females and 8% for the males. These messages got their attention because they thought they would be walking around with “gross things” on their hands.

After washing hands in a public restroom, the ideal situation is to be able to dry one’s hands using a hands free towel dispenser and a hands free door opener to exit.

     We all know of someone who is a germaphobe, even if it is a celebrity like the deceased Howard Hughes.  Somehow we think of them as weird or fanatical.  They range from those who are constantly washing or sanitizing their hands to those who keep a really clean home to the medical-dental professionals. One does not have to be labelled a germaphobe just because one is aware that there exists a whole microworld around us. Not all microbes are harmful, but since we don’t walk around with microscopes, we cannot seperate them. The recent flu scares make us conscious of our coughs, sneezes, and germy hands.  That is when we become germaphobes in order to avoid illness. Medical and Dental professions have strict protocals to avoid cross-contamination.  They use germicides, barriers, and aseptic techniques to protect the patient and themselves.

     We are seeing more touchless devices in restrooms like hands free towel dispensers, door openers, and flushers. True there are still not enough but the awareness is growing. Are you a gremaphobe if you don’t want to handle something unclean in a restroom?  Is coughing into your elbow not your hands the sign of a germaphobe? I think it is common sense behavior. So the next time you see a “germaphobe” doing something think about it and maybe you will learn a lesson in staying healthy.