No, this thread is not a joke. Hopefully it could keep you from getting sick.I wanted to make a poll, but couldnt figure out how. How often do you wash your hands? 0 Times a day? 1-3? 4-7? I used to only wash mine a couple times a day, mainly before I ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After getting colds a few times a winter, I started washing them more often and I didn't get sick once this past winter. Today for some reason I started thinking about how dirty things like keyboards, phones, and other things around the office are and thought I'd share with the rest of the board. How often do you find that you type on your keyboard and then rub your eyes? Granted we have an immune system for a reason, but sometimes things like that can still get you sick, especially when other people around you are sick and are using the same keyboards and tables as you (Which is very common during the winter and spring, especially at colleges). This train of thought reminded me of a CNN article I read once, and was able to find today (http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/12/13/cold.flu.desk/ ) says phones and desktops have far more 'germs' than a toilet seat, which doesnt suprise me. Hopefully this post will increase awareness of the importance of hand washing importance (which is something i'm suprised they havent made us take a corporate workshop for yet since it seems we have to take them for pretty much everything else).
I'm easily in the 6+ category, more when at work. Just thinking about those hands I've shaked, doors I've opened, etc. I'm usually out for 1 day a year due to illness. Good genes and good hand washing practices gotta mean something.
You have a point there. I wash my hands often and keep disinfecting wipes in my drawer to clean regularly my keyboard, mouse and phone at the office. When I told my wife she said I'm a freak ! I read a similar article a while back.
Get a hold of some Anafranil or something? I wash about 40 times a day, but I'm obsessive-compulsive.
Same. I can't stand any oily feel on my hands. Usually wash a few times a day at work... there is not much worse in the world than using someone else's computer mouse or picking up their phone receiver and it is OILY! Wretch! Dry heave!
As Uro, I do about 50 times a day. To properly wash your hands long enough, you need to wash while singing "Happy Birthday" in full to yourself. That is how long it takes to truly kill germs. Ugly. After winter, most docs hands are bloody stumps. In Uro's case, just his Index finger Purell really not enough in our situation, but good for stores, after meetings with people, etc. Great for kids. Tastes OK per my patients. I agree about the phone/bathroom doorhandles/elevator buttons. I clean my stethescope after each patient too, and my phones regularly. OCD can be a good thing in moderation
30 seconds very hot water and soap on average 5 times per day. Keyboards, mice, telephone, and even chair are personal items which I disinfect before I use them. Or I take mine with me. Money and doorknobs are the worst. Another key item is to don't touch your face unless you know your hands are clean. Eyes, mouth, nose are easier ways to infect yourself. Sunny
Is 'hands' a euphemism for some other part of the anatomy? I wear 'gloves' and walk around with Kleenex boxes on my feet.
If I kept count, it'd probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty, for 10-15 seconds each time. In an office situation I used to blow through a full bottle of the hand santizer every two weeks, and wipe down my entire desk (phone, keyboard, etc) every week. I haven't been sick in 20 years. I'd like to think that the above has something to do with that (I'm also not keen on sharing food or drink with others, I'd rather starve) and I actually hold my breath if someone sneezes or coughs nearby or in passing. C.
Also, when someone jokingly burps and puffs it towards you, be sure to blow back and dissipate the cloud!
