Stomach Flu Spread By Contaminated Computer Keyboards

[mic730]

Ever see all the little kids at the library using the computers? Picking their noses and sneezing all over them. Bless their little germie bugger souls. I think "Whoa, somebody gonna get sick in here".

The thought of it makes me shiver!!!

 

[philamena]

Surely this isn't new news.
Then again there would way less cases of the stomach of people used common sense and washed their hands correctly.

 

[Taximom]

I remember watching a segment about this on one of Anderson Cooper's shows a while back. One of the investigative reporters swabbed several keyboards in the office, one of which was Anderson's. AC had the most contaminated keyboard out of them all, and the reporter gave the results LIVE. Poor AC was shocked. E coli, etc.

I don't know why this is news though. Even before computers were on every desk, phones were to blame for spreading germs.

 

[Paladin]

I can see common items like phones and pens, but who else uses your mouse and keyboard but you? If you do have some stealth filth-purveyors who use your machine while you're not around, we have neat thingy in the OR called a pressure autoclave and you could steam sterilize those hands who secretly use your board and mouse; now that would stop some germs.....

Crypto6

No one but me uses my computer that is in my cube, but I also do the bulk of my work in refrigerated computer labs where many people need to use the same system. It's why I wash my hands about 10 times a day, it's why I also carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer when I can't reach a sink, and it's why I try not to put my fingers near my mouth, nose, or eyes. I hardly get sick at work as a result.

Edit: I'd just like to add that another thing that will help people prevent from getting sick is to remind their co-workers that they should stay home if they are sick, even if they feel okay enough to work. I've seen the walking dead at my office who are so afraid to call in sick for various reasons that they feel the need to come in and potentially infect everyone else around them.

 

[Nova]

Note to Michele and Paladin: I don't think you need to apologize to anyone for disinfecting your work area. If that seems like OCD to some people, you can laugh about it when they are home sick with the flu.

 

[Paladin]

Note to Michele and Paladin: I don't think you need to apologize to anyone for disinfecting your work area. If that seems like OCD to some people, you can laugh about it when they are home sick with the flu.

I dunno, it just makes sense to me to wash my hands after going to the bathroom. You'd be surprised how many of the men (I can't speak for the ladies since I'm not allowed in there ) don't wash their hands after using the facilities. Some walk straight out. Others splash water on their hands for 2 seconds and consider that adequate, which baffles me.

So after I wash my hands I'm faced with the task of trying to exit the bathroom without touching the metal doorknob that some guy just used without washing his hands. I usually do this by opening the door with my pinky or carry out a paper towel and open it with that. It's really disgusting if you think about it.

I haven't reached the sanitizing the phone phase yet of my germophobia (if I can even qualify as one), because I am the only one who uses my phone.

 

[Nova]

I dunno, it just makes sense to me to wash my hands after going to the bathroom. You'd be surprised how many of the men (I can't speak for the ladies since I'm not allowed in there ) don't wash their hands after using the facilities. Some walk straight out. Others splash water on their hands for 2 seconds and consider that adequate, which baffles me.

So after I wash my hands I'm faced with the task of trying to exit the bathroom without touching the metal doorknob that some guy just used without washing his hands. I usually do this by opening the door with my pinky or carry out a paper towel and open it with that. It's really disgusting if you think about it.

I haven't reached the sanitizing the phone phase yet of my germophobia (if I can even qualify as one), because I am the only one who uses my phone.

Alas, I would not be surprised. When our men's room ran out of soap for THREE days (!), I was often the only one who complained. That was an eye-opener! And not in a good way.

 

[Paladin]

Alas, I would not be surprised. When our men's room ran out of soap for THREE days (!), I was often the only one who complained. That was an eye-opener! And not in a good way.

Luckily, my office has also installed various hand sanitizer dispensers around the office. I have yet to see a single person use them, ever.

 

[philamena]

Surely this isn't new news.
Then again there would be fewer cases of the stomach flu if people used common sense and washed their hands correctly.

edited to make sense.

 

[Truthful Lies]

Alcohol and bleach are really the only effective things to cleanse....I sanitize my ENTIRE desk every morning, before I touch anything. Also, don't touch any surface in your office..faucets, handles, microwaves, etc. I use a ton of paper towels and nothing comes into contact with my hands...maybe because I work in a hospital. Luckily, my co-workers just think I'm nuts and accept it...I even have a tiny sized bottle of lysol and spray surfaces regularly for the other people who don't think about those things. Ok, truthfully, I have OCD, but I'm not very compliant with meds. I never, ever get sick. I might be overly paranoid because as an asthmatic on immuno-suppressant steriods, a cold can land me in the hospital. Never can be too careful...recently someone in our office had MRSA. We are in a locked, closed facility that no one outside can enter. SCARY that MRSA got in there...so you never know.

BTW- I was in websleuths withdrawels...glad it's back up!

 

[Paladin]

I just think it's ironic that places like offices and restaurants will go out of their way to equip their bathrooms with motion sensitive sinks, soap dispensers, towel dispensers, and air hand dryers, yet they still haven't figured it out that you have to open the door with your hands. So if one jerk decides not to wash his hands all of that is for nothing.