"Contagion" | a lethal virus transmitted by a traveler's credit card, poker chips?

An international traveler reaches into the snack bowl at an airport bar before passing her credit card to a waiter...One contact. One instant. And a lethal virus is transmitted. In the film the virus was transmitted from a contaminated pig, to the cook, the cook shook hands with the traveler.  She was at a casino in China.  The traveler then used her debit card to get money from an ATM, played with poker chips, used her credit card at the airport. People don't take time to clean everything they touch while in public, or traveling. This movie is a fantastic infomercial for why we need manufactures to manufacture antimicrobial credit / debit cards, poker chips.

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Posted in: colds,contagion,credit cards,flu,fomites,GERMS,movie,pandemic,poker chips,trailer,virus

When Cards and Germs Are Wild | Colds and Flu

Poker chips can harbor germs 

No matter what version of poker you play, it’s a game where bluffers prosper. But some scientists have found that money isn’t the only thing people put to chance when they gather around the card table.

If you play the game regularly, you are likely to win an opponent’s achy, oozing cold. In fact, the sniffles are a more sure bet than going home with the most chips.

Lucky you. "Let’s say you’re sick, you cough into your hands, you pick up the cards and you shuffle and deal," says Dr. Will Sawyer, of Cincinnati who has devoted his career to spreading the gospel of proper hand washing.

"Chances are, [germs] from your cough are now on those cards. And if someone picks up a card and they have an itch and they put their finger in their eyes, nose or mouth, they’re probably going to be sick the next day."

A group of scientists from the University of Wisconsin in Madison proved as much. They placed men with severe colds alongside a group of perfectly healthy men, and had the group play poker for 12 hours. Twelve of 18 healthy men contracted colds just by breathing the air and touching their faces and the poker game pieces. Chalk it up as an underside to the World Series of Poker and other versions of the mega-popular Texas Hold ’em Tournaments.

Dr. Sawyer is unsurprised. "The science is clear on this," he says. "Respiratory illness spreads through direct contact and by floating through the air, but the [germs] only float three feet. So, the biggest problem here is really our hands. We are just giving the colds to ourselves."

Americans suffer 1 billion colds annually, according to the National Institutes of Health. That’s one reason why Dec. 3-9 has been deemed National Hand-Washing Awareness Week.

In the case of hand washing, Americans do not seem to be particularly adept. Brian Sansoni is the spokesman for the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), a nonprofit trade organization that educates consumers about cleaning and hygiene products.

"Every couple of years, we issue a clean hands report card, and we’re not doing as well as we should," says Sansoni. Last year, the SDA gave Americans a C-minus for their flawed hand hygiene: “Sixty-eight percent of Americans don’t wash their hands long enough to effectively remove germs and dislodge dirt, and 36 percent said they seldom or never wash their hands after coughing or sneezing.”

"From a public health standpoint, it is kind of disgusting and a little alarming that we don’t take even simple steps to keep our hands clean," says Sansoni.

For cold-free futures, Dr. Sawyer preaches what he calls respiratory etiquette combined with a few simple hand-washing rules. First, he recommends washing your hands before eating or whenever they’re dirty. Second, he discourages coughing or sneezing into your hands. (“Throw an elbow instead,” he says.) Finally, “Do not put your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth.”

A fourth tip might be to direct your poker friends to this article.

If your hands are dirty without a sink in sight, use instant hand sanitizer or anti-bacterial wipes. Studies show that these hand-washing alternatives kill most—but not all—types of disease-causing bacteria. As a result, these products should be used when plain soap and water aren’t available, advises Dr. Sawyer.

So, the next time you sit down for a game of Friday night poker, remember: Your lucky royal flush may not be the most dangerous hand at the table. Wash up and wash often and chances are, you’ll never sniffle back phlegm or cough from a cold again. The power, after all, is in your squeaky-clean hands.

Written by: Bethany Lye is a New York-based writer who contributes to MSN Health & Fitness, Health Magazine and People Magazine. 

Pat F. Bass III, MD, MS, MPH is a board certified general internist and general pediatrician and an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Louisiana State University Health Science Center- Shreveport in Shreveport, LA..P.H.

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Posted in: antimicrobial,colds,flu,GERMS,poker chips

Business travel while sick: facts you need to know!!

Business travel while sick: facts you need to know!!: 

• The highest rates of flu have been among those aged one to four
• The second-highest rates are among those aged between 15 and 44
• Most fatalities have been aged between five and 65
• More than a third of deaths have not been in high-risk groups

Nearly all of those who died had not been immunized. Here is a guide of the different types of flu, how to avoid it, and how to deal with the symptoms if you do catch it.

Severe cases of flu are crippling, chances are that you or a member of your family have suffered from it

• What is the difference between a cold, flu and swine flu? 

A cold is a mild illness caused by a respiratory virus that generally causes sneezing, a cough, a sore throat and a runny nose. It lasts for a short time and causes no complications. 

Flu is a more serious illness caused by a different group of viruses (the influenza viruses). The symptoms are muscle pain, marked tiredness, sweating, shivering, fever and congestion. Chest complications are common in those with chest or heart disease. Flu can be caused by a number of different influenza viruses and swine flu is one of these. Swine flu causes diarrhea and very high temperatures, more so than other flu. 

If I've had the flu shot, am I covered for swine flu? 

Yes. The seasonal flu vaccine this year contains three strains of influenza virus including swine flu. 

If I've already had flu, is it still worth me having the shot? 

If in a high risk group then it is definitely worth it. It may be you have had flu caused by a different strain of influenza virus and the vaccination can offer you protection from other strains, including swine flu.

Can I be a carrier of the virus without having symptoms? 

We have seen people test positive for swine flu who have shown very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. This means you can infect others without showing any symptoms yourself. This is not really being a carrier  -  we call this a sub-clinical infection. 

Does the flu virus react differently in each of us?

Yes. All infections cause a spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe and it is hard to predict how we will react. As well as background health, factors including how many virus particles the body takes on  -  known as viral load  -  are important. 

What medicine should I take if I have flu?

Healthy adults should take acetaminophen (usually two tablets) every six hours. In addition, you can take 400mg ibuprofen every eight hours. It is safe to take the two together. 

When should we call a doctor? 

Anyone in one of the high risk groups who has not been vaccinated should call the doctor immediately if you suspect swine flu.

What are the red flag signs for calling a doctor if not high risk? 

Red flag signs are breathlessness, a fever that is not going down, or reduced urination. It is important to remember lethargy is normal with flu  -  but drowsiness is not. 

When am I contagious? 

You are most infectious/contagious soon after developing symptoms. You can continue to spread the virus, by sneezing, for up to five days. You become less infectious as symptoms subside, and once symptoms are gone, no longer considered infectious. 

Can flu be carried on/in food? 

There is no research to suggest swine flu can be carried on or in food, including pork products. Contaminated objects can transfer the virus so basic hygiene is important when handling everything, including food. 

How long can flu germs exist on a surface? 

Up to 48 hours, depending on the temperature and humidity. Flu viruses survive longer on surfaces than cold viruses. 

Should I be putting my dishwasher on at a higher temperature? 

No. Washing with any detergent and water is enough to remove virus particles. 

And the washing machine? 

Flu viruses cannot survive on clothes for long and washing at normal temperatures is sufficient to remove them. 

Can I transmit it to others via my skin or clothes? 

It does seem to be more contagious than other flu illnesses with more people getting ill from any one contact. Coughing and sneezing creates an aerosol of virus that spreads up to a metre and infection is also possible from contaminated hard surfaces such as door handles rather than clothes. Keep hands clean and there should be no virus to transmit. 

Reprint from the UK Daily Mail | By DR ELLIE CANNON: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1345125/FLU-symptoms-Heres-ALL-need-know.html

More Travel Tips!

• Remember, wash your hands after you sneeze or cough!!
• Always wash your hands after touching the ATM, or when using your credit card
• Never put your hotel key in your mouth! 

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Posted in: colds,flu,influenza,SWINE FLU,TRAVEL

Don’t Catch the Flu From Your Credit Card (or Pharmacy and Grocery membership cards!)

We all know that using credit and debit cards on a regular basis can be bad for our financial health, but did you know that this can also be true of your physical health? With the current fears about swine flu, you’ve probably heard that germs can survive for hours on inanimate objects such as door handles or elevator buttons.

What you may not realize is that this can extend to your credit and debit cards too. If someone who is carrying the flu virus comes into contact with your credit or debit card, he or she can easily pass the virus on to you. For example, if a cashier who has developed flu symptoms handles your card during a transaction, they can contaminate your card with germs that linger for anything from hours to months. The more people who touch your card, the higher your chances of contracting the illness.

How can you protect your cards against flu?

You might think that carrying out transactions yourself using keypads is the obvious answer to this, but even this carries a high degree of risk. Keypads are notorious for harboring germs, especially as they will be touched by numerous individuals throughout the course of a day and this can make them more of a potential hazard than handing your card to a cashier.  While you can wipe both your card and your hands with anti-bacterial wipes after it has been handed back to you to minimize the chance for germs to hang around, it is less feasible to do this on keypads before using them as they are not your property to do so.

However, you can still use anti-bacterial wipes on your hands after having touched a keypad. This is obviously not a fool-proof way of killing flu germs, but it is one of the few things that you can really do while on the move. Washing your hands on a frequent basis is recommended for preventing the spread of the germs too.

Don’t Catch the Flu From Your Credit Card posted by MasterCard

FACTOID: Drug and grocery store, gym and other membership cards are often used daily, laid on the counters and never cleaned.

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Posted in: drug stores,flu,grocery stores,gym,h1n1,membership cards,pandemic,SWINE FLU

How to Clean Your Credit Cards

How to Rid Your Purse of Bacteria & Clean Your Credit Cards

How many of us think about the germs that are in our purses or pocketbooks? Even more so how many of us take the time to clean them? 

A scientist ran some tests on a mother of two, a single woman, and a woman executive's purse. In the mother of two he found bacteria that would be found in bathrooms and toilets. This particular bacteria would cause nausea and vomiting. 

The second, a single woman he found she had cocaine residue on her money and fecal matter on her credit cards. The third was the worst. He found a bacteria that was related to meningitis. With the executive he found that she was constantly interacting with others and she was the most contaminated.

Here are a few tips to cut down on the germs.
Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Anti Bacterial Wipes
• alcohol
• Q-Tips

1. • 1
     
     

     Empty your purse once a week and wipe the inside of your purse or wallet with an anti-bacterial wipe. You can also use cotton balls and a little alcohol for leather. Do not use the alcohol on colors.
   • 2
     
     

     Repeat the process on your wallet or any pouches you might use for coupons or make up. Get rid of any expired Make-up. Do not share your make-up. Dip the tips of your lipsticks in alcohol. Gently take the top layers off any powdered make-up with a q-tip.
   • 3
     
     

     Gently wipe down your credit card with a cloth and a little soapy water not to touch the scan on the back of the card. 

     There is not much you can do with the money but you can wipe down your change. It seems extreme but think about all the people that handle the money before you get it. Try and get new bills when possible from the bank.
   • 4
     Last just be conscience of where you place your purse. You should never put it on the floor. Keep some travel size hand sanitizer with you.

How to Rid Your Purse of Bacteria | By drenee eHow.com 

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Posted in: bacteria,credit cards,dirty,flu,GERMS,infection control,money,purse

Surprising Places Where Germs Can Live | Check out counter

PIKEVILLE, Ky. - Surprising Places Where Germs Can Live | Check out counter   While people are often conscientious about picking up germs after taking public transportation or using a computer keyboard, those aren’t the only spots where germs can linger. As it turns out, germs are everywhere. They are even on our bodies when we’re not sick. “The difference is whether or not those germs will make us ill. And that all depends on the type of germs you are exposed to and your immune system’s ability to fight them off,” explains William Betz D.O., M.B.A., FACOFP, senior associate dean for osteopathic medical education at the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine.  Betz discusses the surprising places where germs can live and ways you can minimize your chances of becoming ill through contact with germs. Checkout Counter: At many checkout counters, there is a ledge for shoppers to write out a check and a key pad for people to swipe their debit or credit card and type in their PIN number. These are two areas where shoppers stand— and perhaps cough or sneeze— while waiting to be checked out.  Betz stresses that the best way you can protect yourself from germs is to avoid sneezing or coughing into your hands. Instead, you should sneeze into your sleeve or another body part that won’t be touching any common area. In addition, you should use your own pen to write checks or sign receipts as a way to minimize your exposure to germs in the checkout line. William Betz D.O., M.B.A., FACOFP, is the senior associate dean for osteopathic medical education at the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine.

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Posted in: colds,credit cards,flu,GERMS

5 reasons credit cards collect germs

Spending is on the rise in the midst of flu season. What you may not realize is these things feed into each other.

The more time spent with others and the more money your hands touch the more likely it is that you're going to get sick. And if you think dirty cash is the only way that money makes you ill, think again. Those credit cards you whip out to pay for new gadgets and dinners with loved ones are also covered in germs.

5 reasons credit cards collect germs

Here are the five biggest reasons credit cards are likely to carry germs:

1. Flu germs remain alive on surfaces. That includes the plastic of your credit cards. These germs can live anywhere from a few hours to several months!
2. Germs thrive in the conditions where you keep your credit cards. Most people store credit cards in wallets, purses and pockets. These are all dark, warm, slightly moist places--great conditions for germs to thrive.
3. You're too casual about where you place your credit cards. You set credit cards down on counters and stick them into restaurant cardholders. Instead, get in the habit of passing credit cards directly between the person doing the processing, and wipe them clean regularly.
4. Many people touch your credit cards. Every time you hand your credit card to a cashier, waitress or friend, you're putting it in the hands of someone else who may have the flu. Your exposure soars when you add in the number of people with whom you share credit card/ATM keypads. A Pikeville College Report points up that the same places where you stand to hand over your credit card are places where people commonly sneeze or cough during their own transactions, so don't thinking sliding it across the counter provides any protection.
5. Your credit cards touch other germ-laden items. The most common example is if you store your credit cards right next to your paper money--a very filthy decision indeed!

5 easy ways to keep your credit card clean

Protect yourself from germs this season with these five easy tricks:

1. Sanitize your hands immediately. It is worth it to protect yourself by carrying around alcohol-based hand sanitizing wipes. Every time that you pass your credit card to a store clerk or use a keypad to enter in your PIN, you're putting yourself at risk of germs. Simply wiping down your own hands with sanitizer after each transaction will help. You may even want to wipe down credit card keypads before using them to further reduce the likelihood of catching an illness from these credit card devices. Engage in proper hand washing as soon as possible after all transactions. This is one of the most effective ways to eliminate the flu.
2. Wipe down your credit cards, too. Lightly wiping down credit cards with the same type of sanitizer will further decrease your risk of getting the flu this season.
3. Avoid the use of communal pens. When asked to sign a receipt, pull out your own pen from a clean pocket or purse rather than using one that a bunch of other people have put their germs on. If using a mechanical signature system, a retracted ballpoint pen works safely on those as well.
4. Keep your hands away from your face. This is a leading way to keep any germs you've collected throughout the day from getting into your body and making you ill. You may not always remember to clean your credit cards but if you can remember to keep your hands off of your face then you'll still protect yourself from those germs.
5. Keep each individual credit card in its own plastic case. Don't let credit cards touch each other or any money in your purse or wallet.

By Kathryn Vercillo | Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 | Is your credit card making you sick? | Money Blue Book

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Posted in: antimicrobial,colds,credit cards,flu,GERMS

The Top 5 Places to Catch the Flu | Occupational Healthcare

The Top 5 Places to Catch the Flu 

Here we are just into the opening weeks of a new year, and influenza is well into its annual assault on America. Germs aren’t hard to find this season, but where they hide might surprise you.

At the Office
We spend more than a third of our lives at the workplace. This tops our list for flu exposure. Depending on the layout of where you work, you may find yourself uncomfortably close to a sneezing, sputtering coworker. Perhaps you share a telephone with several others. Breath is heavy with moisture and creates a nice warm place for bacteria and viruses to multiply in the telephone mouthpiece. So you may be sharing more that simply a telephone.
Keyboards also get pretty germy. Our fingers are moist and a bit oily, and leave a film on the keyboard surface. This is a perfect place to grow germs. Keyboard use is a good way to both leave and pick up germs. One study found more germs on a keyboard than a toilet handle. Where is that can of Lysol?

How about that break area at the workplace. Which refrigerator gets cleaned more often, the one at home, or the one at work? Washing coffee mugs at work usually takes a quarter of the time and half the amount of soap that the same mug would get at home. Not surprisingly, they don’t get too clean and can be a source of influenza germs. Has that sponge in the break room been replaced since the company opened? Old sponges smell bad for a reason. Old magazines in the break room have been read by generations of people, few of which wash their hands. Put those same magazines in a doctor’s waiting room, and they get to heroic levels of germs rather quickly. Magazines don’t do too well in the washing machine.
photo © 2005 Michael | more info (via: Wylio)

At Home
We all try pretty hard to not leave used tissues lying around the house – these are the hand grenades of the germ world. Germs are sneaky and inventive in their hiding places. The remote control gets handled by many greasy hands – chips and TV anyone? The kitchen at home is cleaner than the one at work but still contains more germs than the bathroom. When is the last time you cleaned the cabinet door to the kitchen waste basket? How about the refrigerator handle? Care to guess how many germs get tracked in on your shoes from the outside?

On the Go
Start with your own car. Rarely do we risk an accident by sanitizing the steering wheel after a good sneeze. Anyone else drive your car? Public transportation in its many forms also serves as a germ reservoir. From elevators and escalators to city buses, large numbers of often sick people pass though, leaving more than a footprint. Who last pushed that elevator button? Who last used the hand rails? I need to take a break and wash my hands.
Airplanes are particularly worrisome as far as influenza virus is concerned. The air in a commercial jet is re-circulated, perhaps better put, recycled. A couple hundred people are shoulder-to-shoulder and breathing the same recycled air. The air is filtered but lots of interesting germs can be cultured right off the filter. There is not enough space to separate you from the germ factory sitting next to you, and it’s always next to you, isn’t it? The aircraft bathroom holds the record for the “germiest” of public bathrooms – all of the usual sources of germs in one-tenth the space. The interesting roaring sound the aircraft toilet makes actually can put colonic bacteria (ecoli) into the air for all to breathe.

Your Retail Life
At least they have figured out shopping cart handles and placed disinfectant wipes close by. You might wipe more than just the handle, as the last user could have had a sick child in the cart seat.

Everybody knows money is dirty, but credit cards get handled a lot more and are never cleaned. How about the keypad in the grocery line with the credit card swiper? None are cleaned on any kind of regular schedule.

The gas pump handle also sees a lot of hand traffic but no cleaning.

Finally, your cell phone is not always your best friend. Pass it to friends to make a call, show a picture or share a Facebook comment – lots of hands, no cleaning.

Although it seems tempting, I don’t recommend you actually live your life in a bunny suit. Your immune system is designed to help you survive the various insults. You can give it a big help with a yearly flu shot.
Be well, Dr. B
http://ushealthworks.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/the-top-5-places-to-catch-the-flu/

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Posted in: bug,flu,GERMS,home,influenza,office,teria,virus,work

How long can cold or flu germs live on hard surfaces?

Q. How long can cold or flu germs live in counters, doorknobs and other hard surfaces?

A. 72 hours. Some germs can live three days or longer on hard surfaces. That's why it's so important to disinfect surfaces like countertops, sinks, phones, TV remotes, plastic and hard surfaces often. 

Q. What is the percentage of germs spread through touching of surfaces?

A. 80%. That's why it's so important to clean surfaces often with disinfectants that can help prevent the spread of germs. Be sure to clean your hands, too!

Q. Before you cough or sneeze you should...?

A. Turn away from other people and cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve; not into your hands! If you do sneeze or cough into a tissue, drop the used tissues into the trash and then clean your hands.

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Posted in: colds,flu,hard surfaces,infection control,pandemic,plastics