handwashing techniques

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone

It's cold and flu season, so I thought I would send out a reminder about

handwashing. I know we hear over and over that it's the best way to stay

healthy, but truly it is.

Kaylene

Use proper handwashing techniques --- Protect your health.

http://tinyurl.com/alrku

[Guest guest]

Please listen to Kaylene everyone.

I am just starting to recuperate from the flu I contracted some time last week.

It is definitely no fun when you are already in pain.

a

Kaylene wrote:

Use proper handwashing techniques --- Protect your health.

.

[Guest guest]

--- Kaylene wrote:

>

> It's cold and flu season, so I thought I would send out a reminder about

handwashing. I

know we hear over and over that it's the best way to stay healthy, but truly it

is.

>

Great point, Kaylene.

Also, get one of those little bottles of sanitizing hand lotion - the hard-core

stuff that's

basically alcohol with some moisturizers (not the anti-bacterial scented stuff

you get from

beauty stores!). You can get the generic version at any grocery store or

pharmacy for less

than a buck. They even have a little spray pen now with the same product that

is neater.

Carry it with you and use it whenever you're out and about and can't reach a

sink.

I don't even use the doctor's pen to sign in at the waiting room - that place is

a germ

factory! I'll pull out my own pen to fill out the forms, then still use the

sanitizing stuff

after touching the doorknobs or sitting in the chairs!

This may sound paranoid, but knock on wood, I haven't had the flu in 10 years,

despite

working daily among hundreds of the worst germ-carriers in the world, college

students.

They're worse than kindergarteners. At least if a child is sick, the school

calls the parent

and makes them take the kid out of school! In college, they just keep coming to

class and

infecting everyone. And they all live together and pass it around the dorms....

Sometimes I

want to handle their assignments with latex gloves and a mask and a can of

Lysol!

Cheryl in AZ

Moderator

[Guest guest]

I apparently wasn't clear that I am using the handwash stuff with

moisturizers. I try to buy the one with the most alcohol in it, though.

I love those sensor things. Nothing worse than having to handle wet faucets

after some snot nosed kid has just left. Also, what's up with the people who

put the garbage bin as far away from the door as possible. It should be

right next to it so you can open the door with a paper towel.

" Sweet Goat Mama "

Carolyn Eddy

www.goattracksmagazine.com

[Guest guest]

--- " Carolyn Eddy " wrote:

>

> I love those sensor things. Nothing worse than having to handle wet

faucets

> after some snot nosed kid has just left. Also, what's up with the

people who

> put the garbage bin as far away from the door as possible. It should be

> right next to it so you can open the door with a paper towel.

> \

You might be surprised to hear it, but after cleaning up messes in

public places over many years, I noticed that the people that leave

the nastiest stuff behind are your nice-looking, money-bearing,

fashion-conscious people.

They might not have dirty hands, but they are the ones who don't wipe the seat

when they have soiled it, pick up the paper towel when they miss the can, or

wipe off the changing table when they change their baby's diaper.

In my opinion, they are worse than the grubby-handed-snot-nosed kids because

they know better.

However, I am going to agree with the college student comment.

Be prepared for anything when you are out of your own controlled

environment! That's what baby wipes and hand sanitizers are for. And I

know other teachers used to snicker at me for putting on a latex glove

when I blew noses in the daycare jobs, but I was the only one who

didn't catch what was going around, and most of the kids in my care

stayed healthier, too. I always wore clothes with pockets so I could

keep those gloves, wipes and tissues handy.

[Guest guest]

I have a box of latex gloves too. Very handy when you want to put your hands

in something icky.

I also hate parents who haul their poor sick hacking kids out into grocery

stores and let them cough all over everything.

" Sweet Goat Mama "

Carolyn Eddy

www.goattracksmagazine.com

[Guest guest]

I used to work in a residential psychiatric treatment center for

seriously,emotionally disturbed teens and youth. When we started a specific

program for safety and infection control our colds, contagious diseases, etc.

went down considerably. We washed doorknobs, cupboard doors, etc. that we could

with bleach water. It certainly made a difference. Using latex gloves for

washing laundry, etc. Just a little thought can keep you from so many

sicknesses.

Sojo

[Guest guest]

Oh, yes, that is also awful! We used to go to The Fresh Market because my

husband liked scooping his own snacks from the covered bulk bins, until one

day he saw a little kid who had just sneezed into his sleeve, putting his

hand into one of those bins.

He grabbed a handful of pretzels, almost got one into his mouth, and then

his mother told him to put it back. The kid obeyed, and the pretzels went

back to join the other pretzels, and the mother looked around to see if

anybody saw it, then praised him for being a " good listener " .

I told my husband that it would have been better if the mother had payed for

the pretzels, rather than contaminating the rest of the bin. Such a petty

thing, but when you have had steroid shots or other pain treatments that

lower your immune system, every little thing is a potential infection

waiting to happen.

Carolyn Eddy wrote: I also hate parents who haul their poor sick hacking kids

out into grocery stores and let them cough all over everything.

[Guest guest]

I used to never worry about stuff like that but now every little thing looks

contagious to me, or potentially so. I have gotten fuunny about food and can

hardly bring myself to eat in restaurants.

If it comes out of my kitchen at least I know what I did with it.

Carolyn