[Macumazahn]

While most of these things probably apply to everyone, urbanites have a lot more frequent interaction with many of them. it is a lot harder to survive if you are sick all the time and you certainly do not want to catch a debilitation disease like hepatitis.

• sick people - duh? steer clear as much as possible.
• public lavatories - nuff said. do not go there.
• standing water - a breeding ground for mosquitoes and west Nile virus is pretty much everywhere these days. try not to let any accumulate on or near your property. avoid areas where it accumulates.
• dirt bags - yet another reason to keep clear of human trash.
• hand rails - again, thousands of people have probably touched that in the last couple hours. surely some of them have some nasty infections. wear gloves whenever you can. avoid using the rails if the stairs are safe enough.
• strays - no matter how pathetic that kitty is it is likely to have lice. the best thing you can probably do for it is get animal control to pick it up.
• critters - air lice, tree lice, and street lice (pidgins, squirrels, and raccoons) all carry parasites. plus they might bite you.
• garbage flaps - many garbage bins have open tops but lots of them have a flap to keep out weather. a lot of these, especially city ones, are not to well cleaned and are covered in all kinds of rotting crap. use a tissue or paper towel to push it in when depositing waste.
• the sidewalk - I always cringe when I see people lounging around on urban sidewalks. these things are covered in pollution, ground glass, spit, animal waste, vomit, and blood. do not put anything but the soles of your shoes on the sidewalks.
• take away cutlery - if the public can touch it they probably have. carry your own or, better yet, biodegradable like hachi (chopsticks) or something reusable.
• eat in trays - ever watch them "clean" these things? not only do they have other people's filth on them they also have poison in the form of the disinfectant cleaner on them. try to keep your food on or in the disposable tray it comes in. just abandon spills. same goes for public counter tops.
• money - who knows who has touched this stuff? never put it in your mouth. try not to keep it in the same pockets as your hands.

no one can avoid everything. obsessing over this would be counter productive but there are a lot of basically no effort things you can do to reduce your risks. these are some of the things I do. I wear gloves as much as I can. (that is easier for me as it is cold half the year). I always wear closed footwear and I leave it by the door. I carry some napkins and tissues with me that I can use as a disposable barrier. I am not a fan of frequently using hand sanitiser but I carry a small bottle in case I encounter a particularly nasty area. I wash my hands with warm water and soap when I get home; especially when I am putting away the groceries.

What do you think? what are the major areas you avoid and what precautions do you take?

 

[Cryptophylaxis]

I think you'll give yourself an ulcer worrying too deeply into this stuff. If you look hard enough you'll find that nothing is perfectly clean and yet its been this way for decades without major outbreaks. I'd bet that phones are a top ten germ transmitter.

Biggest universal precaution would be to wash your hands often (the right way) and don't touch your face.

Everyone should know the proper way to wash their hands. I use a paper towel to turn off the faucet when I'm finished washing my hands. I also use one to open the restroom door when in public.

 

[jarhead101]

Macumazahn have you got your series of hepatitis shots? I highly recommend them to all.

 

[countryboy123]

This is a concern.

If you don't live or visit some of the larger cities you don't know what I'm talking about but the potential to spread disease is there.

The way people congregate there is the perfect vector to spread disease and it does happen. If you look at the rates of pneumonia in large cities in the winter it is always 3 to 5 times what it is in the country and smaller towns.

Add to that cold weather and people staying closer to each other for warmth and it makes it even worse.

 

[Highlander]

When I took microbiology, one of our assignments was to swap and culture various common surfaces. The cleanest? Public bathrooms--they are always being cleaned with antimicrobials. The nastiest? Door Knobs.

CountryBoy is right about the weather being cold. People crowd indoors, the heater is on and germs are a blowing and a breeding.

 

[Macumazahn]

Countryboy123, yeah. Mention SARS in Canada if you want to get a cringe out of a Canuck.

Macumazahn have you got your series of hepatitis shots? I highly recommend them to all.

I do not like doctors and their pointy things. I have seen advertisements for products like "twinrix" (sp?) but they seemed to be targeted at tourists visiting the resorts in the sunny places. Is there a product that provides lengthy protection? At least a year but preferably five before a repeat or booster. Also, has the product been widely used in the real world for at least a decade?

TIA

 

[Dwind]

easy there Macu, you have an immune system. but it needs germs to practice on, so when a big bug comes on, they'll be able to fight it

 

[erikm]

An interesting list Macu, but you're missing a couple of the biggest ones.
- Vermin (rats and mice) They breed like crazy, eventually get almost anywhere (it seems) and are hard to really get rid of. They also carry parasites (see above). I've heard of mice being caught several floors up in apartment buildings. There was no clue how they got there.

Mention MRSA in a hospital if you really want people to cringe.

Cheers,
ErikM :space:

 

[Thedishdoc]

I read somewhere the item with the highest germ count was the handles of shopping carts. People put raw meat packages and crap in their buggy then touch the shopping cart handles. They are supposed to be crawling with germs.

 

[Thedishdoc]

Sorry duplicate post

 

[Thedishdoc]

Sorry duplicate post

 

[Macumazahn]

easy there Macu, you have an immune system. but it needs germs to practice on, so when a big bug comes on, they'll be able to fight it

How did George Carlin put it?

If a piece of my food falls on the floor I pick it up and eat it... in a sidewalk cafe... in Calcutta... in the ghetto! My immune system is equipped with fully automatic weapons and grenades and have recently been upgraded to napalm! That's why I don't get sick!

I am not trying to say live in a bubble. People, especially kids, need to be exposed to germs and such to properly build their immune system. All these disinfectant soaps, antibacterial wipes, and sanitizers have their place but should not be used excessively.

When I was a kid I was sitting on the grass at a local park, put my hands out behind me and put one right into a big pile of dog poop. I am still alive. I am also pretty healthy. I have spent a good deal of time in some nasty places and I rarely get sick. When I do the symptoms are mild.

But if you wind up with your hand in some nameless muck you should probably clean that off. And if you are sick you should be more careful as your immune system will be low. And it does not matter how tough your immune system is it will not protect you from fleas and lice. If they get in your house you will probably be at least out a grand or more to get rid of them.

Do not live in fear but know when to play it safe.

and... umm... just mac please.

 

[Grinnan Barrett]

One of the great fears is a terror group using infected members (Martyrs) to move about in large groups (Train stations, airports, malls, schools, sporting events) where the people infected will then go to many different directions. The infection spread is exponential. WIth people not showing infection for days but being a carrier themselves it could be almost impossible to control.

 

[KF4LNE]

My immune system is equipped with fully automatic weapons and grenades and have recently been upgraded to napalm! That's why I don't get sick!

My immune system is equipped with polaron weapons.

My suggestion is to maintain yourself in good health and keep your immune system up. Eat foods that promote immune system health and avoid areas where you know you will contract something. Keeping from getting the cold is just as easy as keeping from getting the clap - avoid it as much as you can and protect yourself .