{"id":1313,"date":"2017-11-08T15:38:41","date_gmt":"2017-11-08T22:38:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brevis.com\/blog\/?p=1313"},"modified":"2017-11-08T15:38:41","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T22:38:41","slug":"a-virus-spreads-in-just-2-hours-why-the-war-on-germs-is-in-your-hands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brevis.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/a-virus-spreads-in-just-2-hours-why-the-war-on-germs-is-in-your-hands\/","title":{"rendered":"A virus spreads in just 2 hours. Why the war on germs is in your hands."},"content":{"rendered":"

Germs are everywhere.\u00a0In optimal conditions\u00a0a virus can divide every 20 minutes, spreading rapidly where they dwell. In fact, contamination of\u00a0a single doorknob can lead to the spread of viruses throughout an office building or hotel in as little as two hours.<\/p>\n

Researchers from the University of Arizona, Tucson, placed a tracer virus on commonly touched objects such as a doorknob or tabletop. At multiple time intervals (from two-to-eight hours) the researchers sampled a range of surfaces including light switches, bed rails, countertops, sink tap handles, and push buttons. And guess what? Nearly 60 percent of the surfaces were contaminated within two-to-four hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we placed a tracer virus on the push plate to an office building, it ended up on almost 50 percent of the high-touch surfaces of officer workers\u2019 hands within four hours,\u201d says study author and microbiologist Charles Gerba, PhD. \u201cIn the case of the hotel, we placed the virus on the nightstand in one room, and it was spread to the next four rooms by the maid during cleaning.\u201d Also, the first item to become contaminated in the workplace was the coffee pot handle. Other contamination hot spots are phones, computers, and desktops.<\/p>\n

Of course, our own bodies play host to around 100 trillion microbes that together weigh more than two\u00a0pounds. They are present on our skin, in our guts, in the crooks of our elbows, and just about everywhere else. Your immune system protects against most microorganisms, but there are hundreds of thousands of different kinds of germs, and some of them are good at mutating into things your body doesn’t recognize. And they make you sick.<\/p>\n

To get an idea of just how many microbes we carry\u2014and which ones spread fastest\u2014researchers are even testing our most intimate possessions: our cell phones. In a small study, University of Oregon scientists tested the index fingers and thumbs of 17 subjects, along with the touchscreens of their smartphones. As you might expect, they found an 82 percent overlap between the most common types of bacteria found on participants\u2019 fingers and on their phones.<\/p>\n

So your cell phone is covered with a personal bacterium cocktail? Clean it with a soft cloth dampened with water and wipe it down, or use a disposable wipe made specifically for cleaning electronic screens. Use a cotton swab to get the dirt and grime out of small nooks in the phone. The same goes for all of your other gadgets, too, including remote controls, headphones and ear buds, your computer keyboard, mouse, and tablet screen.<\/p>\n

Yes, the war on germs is in your hands.\u00a0Handwashing is the number one way to prevent the spread of germs\u00a0and illness.\u00a0Just make sure you\u2019re doing it right. Friction (especially between the fingers) and duration\u201420 seconds with running water\u2014are both important. And anything your hands touch are carriers. Learn all about handwashing here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s something else to think about: On average, an office desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. It’s not surprising; the toilet is cleaned regularly. And remote controls, computer keyboards, phones, and iPods get touched way more than the toilet. Multiple coworkers and guest also share them\u2014yet they are cleaned less often. You can find component-specific cleaning supplies at electronics stores. However, most disinfecting wipes are safe for electronics\u2014just make sure to read the label before using them.<\/p>\n

This one seems obvious, but how often do you walk around your home or office and wipe off doorknobs, cabinet handles, and light switches? You really should give them a once-over using disinfecting wipes\u2014and don’t use the same wipe for more than a few places before grabbing a fresh one.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to keep things clean.\u00a0Soap and water. Bleach and water. Disinfecting wipes. Common sense. With these simple weapons, the battle against germs can be won. But the first step is you. Now go wash your hands!<\/p>\n

Flu Posters<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Germs are everywhere.\u00a0In optimal conditions\u00a0a virus can divide every 20 minutes, spreading rapidly where they dwell. In fact, contamination of\u00a0a single doorknob can lead to the spread of viruses throughout an office building or hotel in as little as two hours. Researchers from the University of Arizona, Tucson, placed a tracer virus on commonly touched … Continue reading A virus spreads in just 2 hours. Why the war on germs is in your hands.<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,75],"tags":[64,90,150,4,214],"class_list":["post-1313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-handwashing-saves-lives-2","category-infection-prevention","tag-a-virus-spreads-fast","tag-hand-hygiene","tag-hand-washing","tag-handwashing","tag-virus","post_format-post-format-image"],"yoast_head":"\nA virus spreads in just 2 hours. 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