By Rich Suwanski, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
(MCT)
Nov. 07--A study published in USA Today last week said items such as gas pump and
mailbox handles, and ATM and vending machine buttons are most-associated with
a high risk of illness due to germ contamination, but an Owensboro infectious
disease specialist said people shouldn't freak out about it.
Dr. Gary Wilson, a physician at Owensboro Medical Health System, said
people can't live in a bubble and should take reasonable steps to prevent
themselves from getting sick, especially during the upcoming cold and flu
season.
"Germs are everywhere, and they're not going away," Wilson said. "In
fact, for every cell in your body, you have between 10 and 100 microorganisms
inside you or on you, so you're more bug, germ or microbe than person.
"So the real question is, what tips the scales to the point that one of
them causes us trouble?"
Wilson said the answer is to wash your hands "relatively frequently" and
steer clear of anyone exhibiting cold symptoms.
"You can't wash your hands every time you touch something and you can't
wipe your desk with bleach every two hours," he said. "If you're around
someone who has (mucous) running down their face, those are the people who may
give you something, so you should stay away from them."
As for respiratory viruses, Wilson said the more a person is in a crowd,
the more he or she is exposed to germs.
"If you're going to be around groups of people, then you can protect
yourself by wearing a (surgical-style) mask," he said. "If you look at
pictures of people in Japan or China during respiratory virus season, you see
lots of them walking around with masks.
"Our culture doesn't look on that in the same way, but if you ask the
question, 'What can I do to help myself from getting sick?' you'll diminish
your days of having illness much more by wearing a mask during respiratory
virus season than by being a germophobe at the ATM machine."
Wilson also referenced the recent food poisoning outbreak in cantaloupes
from a Colorado farm and how raw food should be treated at home.
"When preparing food, people shouldn't, for example, put (raw) chicken on
the kitchen counter and then cook hamburgers and place them where you sat the
uncooked chicken," he said.
Rich Suwanski, 691-7315, or rsuwanski@messenger-inquirer.com
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