Flu :: Wash your hands to stop spread of cold germs

PENNY TAYLOR, RN, practical nursing instructor at BROWN MACKIE COLLEGE in Findlay, Ohio, can discuss preventive measures to stop the spread of cold germs during the winter: “The most troublesome health concern for the general public during winter is the spread of pathogens due to coughing into hands and then touching surfaces, such as doorknobs and tabletops.

The best way to help stop the spread of the germs is to wash the hands for at least 15 seconds at a time after eating, handling pets, caring for someone who is sick, using the bathroom and taking out the garbage. When we pick up pathogens from surfaces with our hands, hand washing removes the microbes from our skin, so they do not find a port of entry into our bodies. I would advise against the use of antibacterial soap for regular hand washing, for it actually creates ‘superinfections’ with the warm water, soap and friction.”


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