Discussion on:

Techs can avoid cold/flu viruses by washing hands

At last someone to confirm what I have always suspected. when I was a roaming tech I used to spend the Christmas break EVERY YEAR in bed, having struggled to keep going until the end of play on Christmas Eve. I haven't eaten Christmas dinner for 5years. last year I was ill from 24th DEc to the 10th of Jan, mising all the chrstmas and new year festivities (on the positive side I dodn't put on much weight) I will give this a try and report back in the new year.

I figured this out 10 years ago. Do absolutely everything the article says and you will rarely get sick. It took me awhile to learn not to touch my face ever until I thoroughly washed my hands and to wash every time you touch someone else's keyboard, mouse,phone. Getting flu shots helped me get perfect attendance awards last 2 years.

have you ever noticed that a doctor, or other health proffessional always washes their hands after seeing a patient?. While it is important that you wash your hands after handling anything that may have been contaminated by a virus what is just as important is to avoid, as mucgh as possible contact with people who have been infected. One of the causes of illness in offices where there is close contact between people are airborne virus.

Regular cleaning of telephone handsets, or headsets, is also just as important.

Anyone here a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fan? I guess those guys on the B Ark had some value after all.

You can only imagine what lives in users keyboards. Back in the days when I used to be a PC tech, I was disgusted at how filthy the keyboards and mice were. There would be clean spots on the keys they would use most, surrounded by caked on, God only know's what. I remember one time, replacing a keyboard, and it was full of crumbs. Definitely wash your hands.

Agreed washing of hands cuts down passing of virus's and germs. Applies also to working with contaminated bytes. Since germs and bacteria live for many days afterward upon the surfaces you have handled. Another form of "Computor Virus" which can re-infect others.

Great discussion topic!! 20/20 or 60 minutes did a report on bacteria in the work place and at several public environments. Several bacteria experts took samples out of restrooms, cash registers, escalators, doors, phones, computers and other commonly touched areas. Know what they found? E-coli, feces, urine... etc.

Think about computer users... if you sneeze and don't have proper manners, where do the germs go? Right on the keyboard. If you cough and at least put your hand over your mouth, you then touch the mouse and keyboard.

I work at a college and believe me some of the computers the students use you wouldn't want to touch with at least a ten foot pole.

For those of you who repair PC's be careful of the dust inside of them as well. It can be just as unhealthy to breathe.

I wash my hands after touching any computer because you don't know the cleanliness of the previous user. I haven't been sick in 4 years (knock on wood)

I don't think there's a quick and easy solution to this problem other than to carry around a backpack full of handi-wipes. Just try keep your hands off of your face and make sure you always wash your hands.

I was a PC help desk person from 1991 to 1994 and always, around the X-mas holidays, I would come down with a very bad cold or experience flu symtoms. Since 1994, I've changed jobs and I now enjoy the holidays with my family.

The topic certainly lends an entirely new meaning to the term 'hot keys.' In the university's computer labs, the equipment is normally 'gross' (dustbust now and then!) but some lab assignments must be completed on campus... so I keep a small bottle of antibacterial gel in my bag. I've actually watched people sneeze, and then wipe their noses with their 'mouse' hand, and then... Ugh! I use the gel before, during, and after a session... and I learned (the hard way) NOT to use the common drinking fountains, too!

Hello, hello!

It's very easy not to get viruses : stop breathing
If you decide not to (stop breathing) I tell you how I've been the less "damaged" in my job (for years, this job took place mostly in HOSPITALS where the most dangerous viruses"fly".)
The approach is systemic i.e. it deals with what viruses like and dislike.
1) What viruses like?
a) Sugar
b) Cereals but rice
c) Milk and milk based products
Any time I've got the very beginning of a flew, I stop totally these 3 types of products.
Instead, I take calcium carbonate tablets, rice and a little bit of honey.
What viruses don?t like?
Thyme and other aromatic herbs that I take in the form of tea, essence to drink, skin oil and aerosol (total fight!).
And, to strengthen the immune system, trace elements (gold, silver, cupper, etc.) and well balanced (some are not and may be dangerous) vitamin tablets.
No antibiotics (no effect on viruses + globally they weaken the system).
Have a nice winter!

I agree with the comments about becoming ill due to germs/bacteria/viruses (the organic kind) that live on users keyboards and mice. Not only is it important to practice good hygiene for our own health, but also PC support persons can be the new "Typhoid Mary"'s, spreading disease as they move from computer to computer.

Since it's not always convenient to wash my hands after working on a user's computer, I keep a bottle of "instant hand sanitizer" nearby. This doesn't require water or drying ones hands.

Regardless of how you clean you hands, though, there?s always a window of vulnerability between the time you?ve touched the keyboard/mouse to washing. (It?s not always possible to let the user drive.) Remember that infections occur through the mucous membranes ? keep your hands away from you?re your nose, mouth, and especially your eyes.

I worked in a hospital as a network analyst and had access to handy anti-microbial wipes that are packaged like towelettes. I always carried at least a half a dozen in my pockets and used them religiously. I was able to avoid the rash of hospital germs and the flu!

I am currently suffering from a head cold, because of having to service users that are ill as well. Whenever possible you should use whatever remote control tools you have at your disposal. There is a good article here at TechRepublic: http://www.techrepublic.com/article.jhtml?id=r00220001205jim03.htm
SMS 2.0 has a alright remote control as well. Request a good anti-bacterial soap in your washrooms, just go to the HR person and explain your concerns. Remind your support staff to wash their hands after they visit users computers. Take a multi-vitamin everyday. Encourage yourself and your staff to excersice and pay attention to what they eat during the "sick" months. Hope this helps.

Hi. I work in a elementary school, so I've got everything from thumbsuckers to you name it. We started last year using a product called Sterishell Disinfectant, it's easy to use, lasts up to a week, and is supposed to cut crosscontamination by 80%. All I know is it's working for me and for the kids. I don't mean to sound like an ad, but it's a REAL problem and this works for me. They're on the web at if anyone is interested in checking it out. Hope it helps.

I seem to recall reading that an epdemiologist said you probably won't catch anything from a toilet seat unless it is visibly wet or soiled. However you can be infected by touching the door knob on the way out of the restroom because not everyone washes their hands before exiting. They suggested using a paper towel to open the door and promptly throw the paper towel away outside the restroom.

I'm a network admin and I support around 50 users. Many of them have kids in daycare and honestly, they are just walking germs. Every single day, someone different gets sick. "Our" flu season in our office last 12 months/year.

I stopped touching their computers. When they have a problem, I go to their office and I tell them what to do. This way I avoid touching any infected items.

You must be a superb communicator if you've stopped touching people's computers when trying to fix them. I think I'll stick to washing my hands. It's probably faster and I'll get more done in a day.

I also like to have users "do the driving" while I'm teaching them a new technique, but I'm not a fanatic about it. I still think I can be more effective in problem solving if I sit down and handle the mouse & keyboard myself. However, I recognized long ago that frequent hand-washing kept me healthier. I'd like to point out one item that I will not use unless absolutely necessary, and even then I'll clean it first -- someone else's telephone. Just one look at some handsets' earpiece can turn mystomach! No way I'm putting that greasy, gross piece of plastic on my ear and cheek. Yucchh! Thank God for Hands-Free mode!

I don't know how you do it. As a network admin, there are definitely certain things that I don't won't a user knowing how to do. Also how's your customer service? It would seem that in some situations that you would be wasting your client's time and not servicing your customer properly.

Sorry, I just can't resist:
"Washing your hands thoroughly with plain soup and water..."

Has anyone done any studies as to what soup is best? (Chicken noodle perhaps, or just the broth?)

It HAS to be "plain" soup and water!!

TTFN

Silly as it may seem at first to those who don't use this practice, the paper towel idea is very effective. I always wash my hands after each bathroom trip and every year I faithfully caught the flu and a cold or two. Now I take the paper towel that I dried my hands with and use it to open the door. If the door swings outward I use my elbows. At my college three weeks ago I was surrounded by people with colds. I also noticed classmates not washing their hands after using the bathroom. Since I usually start showing symptoms within 4 days of exposure I'll assume that my towel method has so far proven effective. If I make it through the winter without a cold it might be the first time in 20 years that I didn't get sick.

One thing I forgot to mention in my first posting regarding the paper towels is the logic. If you wash your hands and your crud tech brethren don't then when you both touch a doorknob then you have just negated your hand washing and collected a whole new batch of virii. Washing your hands is important. Keeping the cold germs off of your hands after you've cleaned up is just as important. It is impractical if not impossible to either wash your hands constantly or even touch every common surface with a paper towel or glove. You do what you can where you can and it just seems to me that using the paper towel for protection at least to get out of the bathroom has been very effective.

After several years of observing, with disdain, my colleques of using a dry paper towell when leaving the restroom, I, too, will now do the same. Thanks for the info!

I currently work as a firefighter Paramedic, and everyday and every call to every home/building I respond to (since most of are calls are for sick people) we come in contact with other people and their physical personal items, and take all their germs back to our station. So since I currently am working towards a degree in CIS/MIS I can see and I also believe that the theory is TRUE!, Our sick time in the winter jumps through the roof. Just remember how bad last years flu season was. All the hospitals were jammed for months with people in the halls waiting for beds. Experts are expecting the same this year, so wash, wash, wash!
John Acord
Firefigher/Medic
Massachusetts

As a nurse of 36 years, hand washing has always been the number one prevention to the spread of disease. I agree 100%!!

The people who disagree with all this conservative hand washing are sick in bed, and unable to weigh in on this issue. Furthermore, in Florida, it seems that the keyboards were mysteriously reconfigured to only type agreeing posts, where disagreeing posts were discarded to the recycling bin before being mailed.

Ah, um, yeah. Uh, maybe just a little too much time on the newsreader lately??

Don

For a tech working in a health care environment, this is even more important. Nurses (etc.) work with patients, then come back to their computers...

Just a suggestion for all of us support grunts. A FANTASTIC addition to your arsenal of tools is a bottle of GERM-X. Handy, portable, fits in your toolkit, and you don't have to run to the bathroom every single time you finish someone computer to wash your hands.
Good little antibacterial cleaner. I started using the stuff last year, and haven't had a cold since. I used to think I was THEE cold magnet.


Mike

I have just read the article on how techs can avoid col/flu viruses and I do agree with the article.
However,though this advice is good,there is another factor which I have been aware of for some time.... the air conditioning systems in large tech support environments and the belief that they contribute to the spread of these cold/flu viruses.
Where I work we do have our own areas and equitment, however, after all is said and done, does it make any difference with such air conditioning systems in use????.

Great Article - always wondered how I managed to catch so many colds & flu.

I'd just like to say that when you work in an environment where there is a heavy workload and pressure to get the work done, you don't always feel you can call in sick.
I know of a lot of people where I work that force themselves to work when they have the cold because they feel guilty taking time off.

Anyway I'll be washing my hands more often from now on.

I'm going to print a copy of this article & post it on my company bulletin board!