How To Avoid Lurking Cold And Flu Bugs

(CBS)  This time of year, you probably know someone - or more than one someone - who's got a cold or the flu. In fact, maybe you do, yourself!

One reason so many people get sick is because the germs - viruses, really - that cause colds and flu can hang around for along time on many objects we handle every day.

So, on The Saturday Early Show, medcial contributor Dr. Mallika Marshall pointed out various places we encounter cold and flu bugs, and described ways to steer clear of them, to protect yourself.

She says there are hundreds of viruses that can cause cold and flu-like symptoms. The flu virus, influenza, is just one of them.

And you don't catch a cold from being out in the cold or going out with your hair wet. You catch these germs by inhaling them or getting them on your hands and then touching your eyes or nose.

We all know you can get sick by being coughed on or shaking the hand of someone who's already sick, but there are some other common ways you can pick up these viruses that you may not have even thought of.

For starters, the workplace is a prime breeding ground for germs, Marshall says. Many people who are sick still go to work for a variety of reasons, and they can easily contaminate the workplace. The biggest culprits telephones, desktops, and computer keyboards. So, wipe off your phone, keyboard, and desk surface with disinfectant wipes every day. And of course, wash your hands often during the day.

A lot of people share mugs and other utensils at work - a bad idea, Marshall cautions. Many offices have mugs and utensils that everyone shares. They're usually washed out between uses, but they're still being touched and cleaned by potentially dirty hands. So, bring your own mug and use your own utensils whenever possible.

Another place to be wary of? Elevator buttons! It probably doesn't occur to you, but imagine how many people are pushing the "up" and "down" elevator buttons with their dirty hands on a daily basis! And, once you pick up a virus on your finger and touch your eyes, you've been contaminated. So, wait for someone else to push the button - not nice, but practical! Or you can use your elbow.

The natural progression is from elevators to escalators, which are just as bad, Marshall says. Plenty of people are touching elevator handrails every day in shopping malls and elsewhere around the country. Studies have found mucus, saliva, even blood on them. So, if you can avoid touching the handrails, do so - but obviously, don't risk a fall. Instead, you can cover your hands with your sleeves, or wear gloves.

Finally, beware of shopping cart handles! They're touched by all kinds of people, all potentially sick with the flu or a cold. And then think of all of the germy kids who may have been sitting in the cart, drooling and sneezing and coughing all over the handle! There may not be much you can do to avoid touching the handles, but don't touch your face while you're grocery shopping, and use an antiseptic hand gel when you get back to the car.

[HealthyTips]

At my gym, we are asked to wash the equipment off after we are done. I do this, but I also do it before I workout, as many peple do not do it after they are done. I also wash my hand first thing when I get there, and again on my way out.

[erasmus6]

"No need for a long written article or doctors being consulted. Try common sense!" posted by MyOpinion1

You know what the problem is, don''t you? There isn''t a lot of people that have common sense! And then of course there are the ones that are just too lazy to wash their hands.

We are going to have major problems WHEN the avian flu or some other disease arrives.

[erasmus6]

"Another germ breeding ground is paper currency. Studies show that 94% of all $1 notes carry germs that could cause serious infections." posted by runnergurl1

Yes that is true, but years ago, when I worked in a hospital, they used to think that paper didn''t carry bacteria and so money that was coming out of a room that was in isolation wasn''t cleaned. Now of course they do clean it.

[lauraparis22]

Don''t forget the gym! I come home sick every time I go! The handles on the treadmills and stair steppers! Wash hands on the way out.

[microbio13]

A better question would be where are germs not found. While it is certainly true that germs can be found everywhere mentioned there is little to no reason to avoid these surfaces if you are young and healthy. We are constantly getting infected or colonized by one organism or another, however, our immune system is very good at eliminating most threats. Now it is true that a few of those threats build into a full blown cold or flu, but as annoying as that is if you are healthy it should only be a minor annoyance. The threat posed by overusing antibiotic soaps and whipes, unless they use chemicals that have no residual action, is substantially worse since it will lead to more antibiotic resistant strains then those which are already causing a problem. Studies are also showing that our obsesive cleaning may be part of the cause for allergies. We need to instead learn not to be afraid of germs or getting sick but instead realize that it is a fact of life and that it can actually be healthy, if you have a healthy working immune system, to get sick with colds and flu''s. That''s just my microbiological perspective.

[beehive21-2009]

Wash hands before taking food,clean wash room continuous if sharing with sick person,keep tooth brushes separate.Eat lots of oranges,grapefruits,and other Vitamin C fruits and veggies everyday.

[runnergurl1]

Another germ breeding ground is paper currency. Studies show that 94% of all $1 notes carry germs that could cause serious infections. o Peter Ender, chief of infectious diseases at Dayton''s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base collected 69 $1 notes from businesses in Dayton and found five had bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae) that could infect healthy people if the notes touched the mouth or an open cut. Another 59 notes had a variety of germs that "have been known to cause significant infections in those with depressed immune systems." On the other hand, copper (the main alloy in $1 coins) is a bactericide, which means it can kill microbes as the coin is passed from one person to the next.

[runnergurl1]

Another germ breeding ground is paper currency. Studies show that 94% of all $1 notes carry germs that could cause serious infections. o Peter Ender, chief of infectious diseases at Dayton''s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base collected 69 $1 notes from businesses in Dayton and found five had bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae) that could infect healthy people if the notes touched the mouth or an open cut. Another 59 notes had a variety of germs that "have been known to cause significant infections in those with depressed immune systems." On the other hand, copper (the main alloy in $1 coins) is a bactericide, which means it can kill microbes as the coin is passed from one person to the next.