Well, thanks to Joe Biden's comment about not flying due to the swine flu (uh, I mean the Type A, H1N1 flu), some of our students are getting concerned about our upcoming trip to Guatemala. The university already recommended the group change flight plans so that we do not have connections in Mexico... I was OK with that, even though it was not without cost. But now, there seems to be an increasing panic situation, fueled and exacerbated by the media.
Biden's
Today, at my local supermarket almost all pork and pork-products were on sale. Ditto with anything "Mexican," whether it came from Mexico or not. Don't people read that you CANNOT get the flu by eating pork? Well, I bought some nice sausage which I will cook for breakfast, along with some luscious, Mexican-grown mangos at 2/$1. I also bought some grated Mexican cheese from Kraft that was on sale for $2.50. And forget trying to find any Purell hand sanitizer. Yesterday I went to SIX stores around here, and all are completely out.
My dh and have, for years, carried around a small container of hand sanitizer. We know using it regularly helps prevent colds, and we've done this since way before it became the thing to do. And, even though we've endured friendly teasing and comments by people who think we are over-reacting, we rarely get colds. I also always use my own pen at the bank or to sign credit slips. This is a tip I got from my daughter, an RN, who says "public" pens are a breeding ground for microbes.
I am not downplaying the seriousness of the flu outbreak, but it's important that people follow common-sense practices and not panic. So, the trip to Guatemala is still on but we are continuously reassuring our students. We even bought facemasks to use on the plane, the shuttles, and anywhere crowded, if necessary. I ordered them from a dental supply company and paid $7.49 for 50. They came today and are excellent quality. Hopefully, we will never have to use them.
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:18 pm 1241266731
IMO, face masks aren't really that useful, although if you yourself have the swine flue, it would be very courteous to use one to prevent others from catching what you have. However, to prevent getting sick, I think that wearing gloves would be much more effective since we all touch numerous common surfaces all the time (like that pen) that are indeed swimming with germs.
In my office, i keep hand sanitizers at my desk but rarely use them, as they're said to increase the likelihood that some germs will develop resistance and i've also read that alcohol is not 100% effectiven killing germs. I noticed yesterday they put huge canisters of Lysol hand sanitizer wipes in the restrooms.
My strategy is to avoid touching things that lots of other people touch, like the button you push to get water on the water dispenser, the sink faucets, restroom doors, etc. I either use my elbows, the back of my hand (knuckles) or use a napkin. I'm not very likely to touch my elbow or back of my hand to my eyes or nose, as compared to my hands.
This may all sound extreme, but i noticed a few weeks back that someone had placed a small trash bin outside the women's restroom door and i've seen other women do what I do: they open the 2 doors when leaving the bathroom with a paper towel, then toss the towel in the trash bin.
I haven't been sick all year, despite the fact that sickness has been RAGING in my department all winter, and still is. People can't stay home for 7 days straight (I think we only get 5 paid sick days a year), but when they do come in, they hack away and cough and cough without covering their mouths! Grrr.
I wash my hands all day long as an added precaution.
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:24 pm 1241267041
May 2nd, 2009 at 03:21 pm 1241277711
NJDebbie - Yes, Biden was simply being honest but in this day of instant communication via the media, including the Internet, news and comments spread like wildfire. People were already scared and his comment threw a little fuel in the fire. As a politician of world-wide prominence, he has to be careful with his public comments.
May 4th, 2009 at 06:44 am 1241419449
May 4th, 2009 at 07:00 am 1241420444