Re: The pandemic-thriller film Contagion

[Guest guest]

'Contagion' created a crew of germaphobes

By , USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES – In the middle of making a point about germ transmission, Contagion

director Soderbergh reaches for a bowl of mixed nuts and places the snack

on a hotel coffee table. The gesture causes surprised laughs from star Matt

Damon and screenwriter Z. Burns.

" Now bear in mind, " Soderbergh says, suddenly aware of his transgression, " I've

had my hands in this all morning. "

" And we don't know where you've been, " Damon adds.

Nobody touches the nuts.

Contagion, opening Friday, features a killer, fast-spreading virus that gets an

early transmission boost, ironically, when a carrier sticks her hands in a bowl

of nuts at an airport bar. The virus then continues to spread from host to host

in a worldwide pandemic.

The movie probably will affect the way audiences feel about the invisible world

of germs in everyday lives. Soderbergh says it " could do to elevator buttons

what Jaws did to the beach. " It also made a huge impact on the cast and crew

during filming last year.

" Well, there was more Purell (hand sanitizer) than I've ever seen on a movie set

before, " Soderbergh says, laughing.

Says Damon, " I've done 50-odd movies, and I've never seen anything like this. "

The real-life education began with Burns' intensive research for the script,

which involved working with world health experts. He recalls flying to meet film

consultant Laurie Garrett, author of The Coming Plague, who was cautious about

his potential travel germs.

" I got up when she walked into the room to hug her, and she went, 'No. We have

to observe social distancing,' " Burns says. " I had just gotten off a plane.

There was no hugging. "

The caution spread. On the set, handshakes often were replaced with first-bumps

or germ-safe greetings — especially if the other person wasn't looking well.

" You looked at the whites of their eyes and made a quick judgment call, "

Soderbergh says.

" Let your fear be your guide, " Damon adds.

Soderbergh recalls coming down with a bug and being " hyper-aware " of how many

people were sharing contact with the camera. " I was afraid I was going to get

everyone sick, " he says. " There's no social distancing on a film set. It's a

great germ breeding ground. "

Even when healthy, Soderbergh stayed away from the communal food table.

" I didn't go anywhere near that, " he says. " Just in principle. "

Actress n Cotillard was the most affected with her germ education. She

concedes that she has always been careful pathogen-wise, bringing her own

germ-killing spray to hotel rooms.

But after long conversations with Soderbergh, she stepped up her game. Now

Cotillard cleans every doorknob in the hotel room and the TV remote control.

" And if I take the remote, I take it with a tissue. Which my friends think is a

little weird, " she says. " But as soon as I explain, they think about it. And

they do the same. "

Her germ mind-set only got worse when she watched Contagion with studio

executives. Cotillard exited quietly to avoid handshakes only to return

sheepishly. " I came back and said, 'I'm so sorry I went away and didn't even

shake hands. I'm just totally freaked out right now.' "

Damon believes he came away " relatively unscathed " from the experience, but his

family germ habits could still be affected. " My wife hasn't seen it yet, " he

says with a smile. " Maybe things will change. "

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2011-09-06/Contagion-created-a-cr\

ew-of-germaphobes/50287972/1

[Guest guest]

flu mainly spreads by coughing,sneezing,speaking --> breathing

[Guest guest]

It's wise of course to be mindful that you don't spread germs or get germs, but we do live in a very real world and often we underestimate to capacity of our bodies to ward off things. I've often wondered if those who are somewhat germophobic get sick more often than those who are not. Anxiety does tend to weaken the immune system. We must be the change we wish to see in the world. Mohandas K. GandhiFrom: rumjal <rumjal@...>Flu Sent: Tuesday, September 6, 2011 10:48 PMSubject: [Flu] Re: The pandemic-thriller film Contagion

'Contagion' created a crew of germaphobes

By , USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES – In the middle of making a point about germ transmission, Contagion director Soderbergh reaches for a bowl of mixed nuts and places the snack on a hotel coffee table. The gesture causes surprised laughs from star Matt Damon and screenwriter Z. Burns.

"Now bear in mind," Soderbergh says, suddenly aware of his transgression, "I've had my hands in this all morning."

"And we don't know where you've been," Damon adds.

Nobody touches the nuts.

Contagion, opening Friday, features a killer, fast-spreading virus that gets an early transmission boost, ironically, when a carrier sticks her hands in a bowl of nuts at an airport bar. The virus then continues to spread from host to host in a worldwide pandemic.

The movie probably will affect the way audiences feel about the invisible world of germs in everyday lives. Soderbergh says it "could do to elevator buttons what Jaws did to the beach." It also made a huge impact on the cast and crew during filming last year.

"Well, there was more Purell (hand sanitizer) than I've ever seen on a movie set before," Soderbergh says, laughing.

Says Damon, "I've done 50-odd movies, and I've never seen anything like this."

The real-life education began with Burns' intensive research for the script, which involved working with world health experts. He recalls flying to meet film consultant Laurie Garrett, author of The Coming Plague, who was cautious about his potential travel germs.

"I got up when she walked into the room to hug her, and she went, 'No. We have to observe social distancing,'" Burns says. "I had just gotten off a plane. There was no hugging."

The caution spread. On the set, handshakes often were replaced with first-bumps or germ-safe greetings — especially if the other person wasn't looking well.

"You looked at the whites of their eyes and made a quick judgment call," Soderbergh says.

"Let your fear be your guide," Damon adds.

Soderbergh recalls coming down with a bug and being "hyper-aware" of how many people were sharing contact with the camera. "I was afraid I was going to get everyone sick," he says. "There's no social distancing on a film set. It's a great germ breeding ground."

Even when healthy, Soderbergh stayed away from the communal food table.

"I didn't go anywhere near that," he says. "Just in principle."

Actress n Cotillard was the most affected with her germ education. She concedes that she has always been careful pathogen-wise, bringing her own germ-killing spray to hotel rooms.

But after long conversations with Soderbergh, she stepped up her game. Now Cotillard cleans every doorknob in the hotel room and the TV remote control.

"And if I take the remote, I take it with a tissue. Which my friends think is a little weird," she says. "But as soon as I explain, they think about it. And they do the same."

Her germ mind-set only got worse when she watched Contagion with studio executives. Cotillard exited quietly to avoid handshakes only to return sheepishly. "I came back and said, 'I'm so sorry I went away and didn't even shake hands. I'm just totally freaked out right now.'"

Damon believes he came away "relatively unscathed" from the experience, but his family germ habits could still be affected. "My wife hasn't seen it yet," he says with a smile. "Maybe things will change."

http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2011-09-06/Contagion-created-a-crew-of-germaphobes/50287972/1

[Guest guest]

the more you are exposed to similar viruses, the more your immunity builds up.

So, get exposed to the mild ones but avoid the bad ones.

Best are asymptomatic infections

[Guest guest]

How similar is similar enough? What if you have never been exposed to H5N1

(which almost no one has), for example? Would exposure to any other flu viruses

offer a measure of immunity to H5N1, and if so, is it possible to compute the

relative level of immunity based on the structure of the virus, such as the

variations in the hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) components? Are there

statistical models that predict level of immunity based on some measure of

similarity?

>

> the more you are exposed to similar viruses, the more your immunity builds

> up.

>

> So, get exposed to the mild ones but avoid the bad ones.

> Best are asymptomatic infections

>

[Guest guest]

It is true that the MAIN way that flu spreads is from person to person by coughs

and sneezes. But (quoting from flu.gov) droplets from an infected person can

also make contact with environmental surfaces (like the tops of tables). The

virus can then be spread from those surfaces if a person touches the droplets

and then touches his or her own eyes, mouth, or nose before washing his or her

hands. And I seem to remember reading that this method of transmission is

greater for some flu viruses than for others and that H5N1 was found to be

especially good at surviving for longer periods of time on surfaces than thought

possible.

>

> flu mainly spreads by coughing,sneezing,speaking --> breathing

>

[Guest guest]

In einer eMail vom 10.09.2011 15:26:06 Westeuropäische Normalzeit schreibt DCFrench@...:

How similar is similar enough? What if you have never been exposed to H5N1 (which almost no one has), for example? Would exposure to any other flu viruses offer a measure of immunity to H5N1, and if so, is it possible to compute the relative level of immunity based on the structure of the virus, such as the variations in the hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N) components? Are there statistical models that predict level of immunity based on some measure of similarity?

there could be weak protection from H1N1 via N1. I remember this was discussed

controversially in 2007.

We had H5N2 in Mexican poultry and a few LP H5N1 in Europe.

Almost no protection epected.

We could maybe "make" an LP H5N1 strain by reducing the cleavage site

and let it spread ?!?

We had some tests in mice of crossprotection and they are developing

universal flu vaccine now ...

[Guest guest]

In einer eMail vom 10.09.2011 15:26:19 Westeuropäische Normalzeit schreibt DCFrench@...:

It is true that the MAIN way that flu spreads is from person to person by coughs and sneezes. But (quoting from flu.gov) droplets from an infected person can also make contact with environmental surfaces (like the tops of tables). The virus can then be spread from those surfaces if a person touches the droplets and then touches his or her own eyes, mouth, or nose before washing his or her hands. And I seem to remember reading that this method of transmission is greater for some flu viruses than for others and that H5N1 was found to be especially good at surviving for longer periods of time on surfaces than thought possible.

this is often confused with colds.

In flu we have little evidence -if any- of such transmission by hands.

Also cold viruses survive much longer on hands.

H5N1 is different wrt. many aspects. It even transmits by eating.

But it transmits badly between humans, for that it needs better respiratory

human transmission abilities.

Since flu survives not well in warm weather it had been speculated that

it transmits by contact in the tropes, where it is less seasonal.

But I have seen no proof. And total prevalence seems to be lower in the tropes.

[Guest guest]

http://www.virology.ws/2011/08/26/contagion-first-review/

[Guest guest]

No evidence of flu transmission by hand contact? Really? Because that flies in

the face of the urgings by every public health agency to use hand sanitizer to

help prevent the spread of influenza. Why would they say that if there were no

evidence to support the need to do so? Sterten, do you have some references to

support that statement?

>

>

> In einer eMail vom 10.09.2011 15:26:19 Westeurop�ische Normalzeit schreibt

> DCFrench@...:

>

> It is true that the MAIN way that flu spreads is from person to person by

> coughs and sneezes. But (quoting from flu.gov) droplets from an infected

> person can also make contact with environmental surfaces (like the tops of

> tables). The virus can then be spread from those surfaces if a person touches

> the droplets and then touches his or her own eyes, mouth, or nose before

> washing his or her hands. And I seem to remember reading that this method of

> transmission is greater for some flu viruses than for others and that H5N1

> was found to be especially good at surviving for longer periods of time on

> surfaces than thought possible.

>

>

> this is often confused with colds.

> In flu we have little evidence -if any- of such transmission by hands.

> Also cold viruses survive much longer on hands.

>

> H5N1 is different wrt. many aspects. It even transmits by eating.

> But it transmits badly between humans, for that it needs better respiratory

> human transmission abilities.

>

> Since flu survives not well in warm weather it had been speculated that

> it transmits by contact in the tropes, where it is less seasonal.

> But I have seen no proof. And total prevalence seems to be lower in the

> tropes.

>

[Guest guest]

I remember threads at curevents.com, an old study saying that flu only survives on hands

for 5min (colds 3h)

I also remember that this was a frequent subject at the effectmeasure blog

in 2009(?) there were studies showing no effect of hand sanitizers for flu

(thread at FT ?)

the health departments usually address all viruses, not just flu

including colds and entero viruses, for which sanitizer may help

[Guest guest]

OK, I did some more actual search, and it seems to be still controversy

i.e. for influenza

-------------------------------------

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21691245http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20297744In this population, there was no detectable additional benefit of hand sanitizer or face masks over targeted education on overall rates of URIshttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18519460A multifactorial intervention including hand sanitizer and surface disinfection reduced absenteeism caused by gastrointestinal illness in elementary school students.The adjusted absenteeism rate for respiratory illness was not significantly different between groupshttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21735402http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21470450Compared with results for the control group, in the intervention group, overall absences caused by ILI, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and laboratory-confirmed influenza were reduced by 40%, 30%, 67%, and 50%, respectively (schools in Kairo)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21211103SUMMARYNon-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) such as facemasks and intensified hand hygiene may be effective in preventing influenza infections in householdshttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20923613contact transmission of pandemic influenza via fomites may be less important than previously thoughthttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20088690We observed significant reductions in ILI during weeks 4-6 in the mask and hand hygiene group, compared with the control group, ranging from 35% (confidence interval [CI], 9%-53%) to 51% (CI, 13%-73%), after adjusting for vaccination and other covariates. Face mask use alone showed a similar reduction in ILI compared with the control group, but adjusted estimates were not statistically significant. Neither face mask use and hand hygiene nor face mask use alone was associated with a significant reduction in the rate of ILI cumulatively.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2774369/?tool=pubmed

We write in response to the recent controversy over the effectiveness of hand hygiene to prevent influenza virus transmission.1 Recent studies provide more updated data than the Council of Canadian Academies report from two years ago. A study conducted in Hong Kong found that hand hygiene with or without surgical face masks can prevent influenza virus transmission in households.2

1. Brown C, Kondro W. Conflict emerges over value of handwashing as a preventive flu transmission measure. CMAJ. 2009 doi: 10.1503/cmaj.109-3066. [Cross Ref]2. Cowling BJ, Chan KH, Fang VJ, et al. Facemasks and hand hygiene to prevent influenza transmission in households: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:437–46. [PubMed]3. Loeb M, Dafoe N, Mahony J, et al. Surgical mask vs N95 respirator for preventing influenza among health care workers: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2009 doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.1466. [Cross Ref]

http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/10/667

There’s no evidence that good hand hygiene practices prevent influenza transmission, according

to a Council of Canadian Academies report commissioned by the Public Health Agency of

Canada (PHAC).

support a role for hand hygiene in decreasing the likelihood of acquiring a respiratory tract infection (RTI)(2-6) , including severe RTI by more than 50% (OR 0.45)(7). The value of hand hygiene in preventing RTI was clearly stated in a 2007 Cochrane Review(8).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17943895

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19773323

The combination was also effective in interrupting the spread of influenza within households

ago [2]. Systematic reviews support the role of hand hygiene to reduce respiratory virus transmission [3,4] although it is not clear whether these results apply specifically to influenza virus transmission. A study conducted in Hong Kong found that hand hygiene with or without surgical face masks can prevent influenza virus transmission in households [5].

http://www.scienceadvice.ca/documents/(2007-12-19)_Influenza_PPRE_Final_Report.pdf

Sixty (8%) contacts in the 259 households had RT-PCR-confirmed influenza virus infection in the 7 days after intervention. Hand hygiene with or without facemasks seemed to reduce influenza transmission, but the differences compared with the control group were not significant

[Guest guest]

Very interesting! Thanks for doing the research.

>

>

> OK, I did some more actual search, and it seems to be still controversy

> i.e. for influenza

>

>

> -------------------------------------

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21691245

>

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20297744

> In this population, there was no detectable additional benefit of hand

> sanitizer

> or face masks over targeted education on overall rates of URIs

>

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18519460

> A multifactorial intervention including hand sanitizer and surface

> disinfection reduced

> absenteeism caused by gastrointestinal illness in elementary school

> students.

> The adjusted absenteeism rate for respiratory illness was not

> significantly different between groups

>

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21735402

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21470450

> Compared with results for the control group, in the intervention group,

> overall absences caused by ILI, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and

> laboratory-confirmed

> influenza were reduced by 40%, 30%, 67%, and 50%, respectively (schools

> in Kairo)

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21211103

> SUMMARYNon-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) such as facemasks and

> intensified

> hand hygiene may be effective in preventing influenza infections in

> households

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20923613

> contact transmission of pandemic influenza via fomites may be less

> important than previously thought

>

> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20088690

> We observed significant reductions in ILI during weeks 4-6 in the mask and

> hand hygiene group, compared with the control group, ranging from 35%

> (confidence interval [CI], 9%-53%) to 51% (CI, 13%-73%), after adjusting for

> vaccination and other covariates. Face mask use alone showed a similar

> reduction in ILI compared with the control group, but adjusted estimates were

not

> statistically significant. Neither face mask use and hand hygiene nor face

> mask use alone was associated with a significant reduction in the rate of

> ILI cumulatively.

>

>

> _http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2774369/?tool=pubmed_

> (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2774369/?tool=pubmed)

> We write in response to the recent controversy over the effectiveness of

> hand hygiene to prevent influenza virus transmission.1 Recent studies provide

> more updated data than the Council of Canadian Academies report from two

> years ago. A study conducted in Hong Kong found that hand hygiene with or

> without surgical face masks can prevent influenza virus transmission in

> households.2

>

>

> 1. Brown C, Kondro W. Conflict emerges over value of handwashing as a

> preventive flu transmission measure. CMAJ. 2009 doi: 10.1503/cmaj.109-3066.

> [Cross Ref]

> 2. Cowling BJ, Chan KH, Fang VJ, et al. Facemasks and hand hygiene to

> prevent influenza transmission in households: a randomized trial. Ann Intern

> Med. 2009;151:437†" 46. [PubMed]

> 3. Loeb M, Dafoe N, Mahony J, et al. Surgical mask vs N95 respirator for

> preventing influenza among health care workers: a randomized trial. JAMA.

> 2009 doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.1466. [Cross Ref]

>

>

> _http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/10/667_

> (http://www.cmaj.ca/content/181/10/667)

> There’s no evidence that good hand hygiene practices prevent influenza

> transmission, according

> to a Council of Canadian Academies report commissioned by the Public Health

> Agency of

> Canada (PHAC).

>

> support a role for hand hygiene in decreasing the likelihood of acquiring a

> respiratory tract infection (RTI)(2-6) , including severe RTI by more than

> 50% (OR 0.45)(7). The value of hand hygiene in preventing RTI was clearly

> stated in a 2007 Cochrane Review(8).

>

> _http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17943895_

> (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17943895)

>

> _http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19773323_

> (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19773323)

> The combination was also effective in interrupting the spread of influenza

> within households

>

>

> ago [2]. Systematic reviews support the role of hand hygiene to reduce

> respiratory virus transmission [3,4] although it is not clear whether these

> results apply specifically to influenza virus transmission. A study conducted

> in Hong Kong found that hand hygiene with or without surgical face masks

> can prevent influenza virus transmission in households [5].

>

> _http://www.scienceadvice.ca/documents/(2007-12-19)_Influenza_PPRE_Final_Rep

> ort.pdf_

>

(http://www.scienceadvice.ca/documents/(2007-12-19)_Influenza_PPRE_Final_Report.\

pdf)

>

> Sixty (8%) contacts in the 259 households had RT-PCR-confirmed influenza

> virus infection in the 7 days after intervention. Hand hygiene with or

> without facemasks seemed to reduce influenza transmission, but the

differences

> compared with the control group were not significant

>