Handsfree Dispenser

     Life would be much easier and healthier if we could use sensor-operated dispensers to wash our hands, especially in public restrooms.  We are told by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) that simple, proper handwashing can avoid cross contamination of disease-causing viruses and other germs. This is very important for safe food handling.

     In my visits to public restrooms, seldom do I find that they are equipped with sensor-operated soap and towel dispensers,  flushers, water faucets, or door openers. Yet all of these devices are important when avoiding germs.  The last link in the picture is a sanitary door opener.  It can be as simple as a foot or arm operated add-on or an automated device.  I recommend that the visitor use a paper towel to open the door.  Toss it on the floor if there isn’t a waste can near the door.

      After ordering in a restaurant, sanitize your hands or wash them before eating. Remember that menu is handled by hundreds of customers and waiters and it is really contaminated.

      Flying or staying in motels present their own concerns. Keep that hand sanitizer available and pack your disinfectant wipes for the motel phone, doorknobs,  and TV remote.  An ultraviolight sanitizer would be great to put in your luggage too. Sick people ought to stay home but sometimes it is not possible. Try to avoid them if you can. To be considerate of others, sneeze or cough into an elbow. In the same vein, cancel your dental appointment if you are ill. Although the dental personnel wear germ barriers, the office magazines and doorknobs are not protected.

      The keyboard at work is very contaminated and should be disinfected with wipes or replaced with a washable one. Phones, doorknobs, elevator buttons could also use a sanitizing, especially during the flu season.

      This is just a highlight of the common ways to stay healthy . Enjoy all the best in the new year in good health.

     This is the season to be jolly.  A time for family gatherings.  Offices celebrate with parties.  People travel far and wide to be home for the holidays.  Shoppers  keep going, looking for that special gift.  Some areas of the country have a lovely carpet of snow.

     All of this sounds warm and fuzzy, festive and fun-loving.  The good news is that it usually is fun.  The bad news is that all this holiday activity exposes us to all kinds of viruses and germs.  The last thing you think of when hugging and kissing loved ones is the prospect of catching something. When shopping, it doesn’t occur to us that handling money, credit cards, and merchandise results in cross-contamination, especially during the busy season.  Commercial travel can do the same thing.  After all. airlines don’t disinfect planes after each flight. We are in restaurants  more often,  reading menus that everyone handles. We cannot avoid public restrooms either.

     So what can we do about all this?  It’s simple.  Stay aware of what you touch and when to wash or sanitize your hands, especially before eating or touching your mouth or nose.  If a restroom has devices such as handsfree towel dispensers and other touchless devices, then avoiding illness is easy. If not, just remember to keep your hands clean once they are washed. Enjoy your holiday socializing and stay healthy.

      There is an awareness these days about catching colds and flus, probably because of the H1N1 publicity.  People seem to be more careful about contaminating their hands .  They now sanitize or wash their hands before eating.  They even remind each other about these matters. Parents instruct their children, no matter what age, about handwashing and sneezing and couching into a tissue or elbow instead of their hands.

     A convenient way to teach younger children about avoiding germs and not sneezing or coughing them into the air is to use  Germy Wormy disposalable sleeve covers. The clever sleeves have a picture of Germy Wormy who eats the germs that are sneezed onto him. Childcare centers and parents get good results with them.

     One important message needs to be passed around.  When one leaves a public restroom, and the establishment has not installed a Sanitary Door Opener, use your paper towel to open the door.  After all, your washed hands should not be contaminated as you leave.