Avoid Germs This Summer (Or Try To Anyway…)

Hi Everyone:

Someone sent me these tips for having a healthy (germ free) summer (is that possible with kids?) What better way to kick off the holiday weekend than with a post about germs ? I knew you’d agree…

Actually, they are good reminders…take a peek…they are written by Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona’s Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, and consultant to Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System^SM as well as the co-author of the The Germ Freak’s Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu: Guerilla Tactics to Keep Yourself Healthy at Home, at Work and in the World.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Swati

p.s.

I am a germ-a-phobe!

• Ants aren’t the only picnic intruders. Going on a picnic is a great family activity, but food-borne outbreaks can occur when food is kept warm for too long. Salad dressing is one of the most popular places for bacteria to grow quickly under warm temperatures. Try to keep food in an ice-filled cooler to prevent it from rapid spoiling. Also, try to avoid picnic tables in lieu of clean blankets; birds often land on picnic tables to eat crumbs, leaving fecal matter behind for unsuspecting victims.

• Ensuring safer playtime. Recent studies show that toys and playgrounds tend to become contaminated with E. coli and other fecal bacteria. Soccer balls, footballs, bikes, slides and handheld game devices are popular items for such contamination. Encourage children to wash their hands after playtime for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice to make sure they’re staying clean.

• Keep that sandbox covered. When children aren’t outside playing in the sandbox, make sure the play area is covered. Parasite infections are caused by cats and other animals, who tend to use sandboxes as a public restroom.

• Be careful around public pools. In recent years, the waterborne parasite Cryptosporidium (diarrhea-causing bacteria) has been linked to a growing number of outbreaks. Because the parasite is resistant to chlorine, the outbreaks have been associated with public chlorinated pools. If you have small children, it is best to have them use a small wading pool in the backyard or to attend public pools in the morning when fewer children are present.

Tags: Dr. charles gerba, germs