Because I’ve been in school and my part-time job is based online and can be worked from home, I haven’t worked in an office for a while (two summers ago). Now that I’m back, the germs that such an environment can spread are slapping me in the face.
I have just come down with a cold. This isn’t surprising since two of my co-workers have had colds for the past couple of days. The thought of catching their cold is kind of discomforting and annoying and I couldn’t help thinking of all the ways I could have caught it. The office has an endless number of places where germs can be spread: printers/copiers, keyboards and mice, borrowed pens, telephones, door handles, bathrooms, handshakes (”In 2006, The New York Times reported that Purell is heavily used by politicians during election season, when they have to shake countless hands and remain in robust health”–Wikipedia), and the list goes on.
I have been reluctant in the past to use hand sanitizer because it may make matters worse by encouraging resistant bacteria to develop. However, I also don’t like the idea of sharing others’ germs–which are usually spread through unpleasant body purges like saliva, snot (couldn’t think of a better word), and fecal matter. This said, I think I may have to turn to hand sanitizer while in the office.
How do you cope with the spread of germs–especially now that it is cold season?
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5 Comments
hmm.. I could really use some of that in my office.. Full of germs… Eeew
Usually, I’m inclined to agree with you about hand sanitizers and the fact that they encourage resistant bacteria. Not to mention, everyone I know who uses things like Purell does it far too often and can be quite obsessive about it. However, you make a good point about office germs, something I’m relatively new to dealing with (school germs, not so bad). I hope no one in my office gets sick any time soon!
Yes the cold gets infected very speedily. One tip I have is one sjould always wash his/her hands properly before taking their food.
is hand sanitizer toxic? what would happen if it was ingested?
I hear you Pat. Working in a daycare, I am constantly around kids with colds. I have made a routine not only for myself but for the kids to wash their hands constantly. i.e: before snack, after snack, after a sneeze or cough.
The amount of snot I see in a day is unmeasurable… gross I know but I have only had a very small cold since working there over a month.