# Will Wearing Gloves using Public Transportation, Supermarkets, Public Places Prevent



## PeachesBackwards (Sep 8, 2015)

You from catching germs and disease or is there nothing one can do? I've gotten really more paranoid than usual as I caught pneumonia for the first time in March and was hospitalized for 10 days (I'm fine now) and have no idea how I caught it. My Doctor basically says that you need to be exposed to normal daily germs so your body gets used to it and that wearing disposing medical gloves may accomplish more harm than good. What do you think? It troubles me that without knowing it every day living in Los Angeles I touch objects that poor people and students (both of whom I consider the most unhealthiest people) have touched. Am I overreacting? The one thing I've never understood is why do they sit people in the same space waiting to see a Doctor. Are the one who are physically sick suppose to stop transmitting germs because they're waiting in a Doctors Office? 

I am being serious in this thread!!!!


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

If you're that much of a germaphobe, and are that concerned about getting sick, I suggest that you invest in a sealed clean room with O2 pumped in. Of course there will be no contact with family, friends, or the out side world. Or you could receive counselling for you irrational fears.


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## backlash (Nov 11, 2008)

Wearing surgical gloves wouldn't do you much good unless you changed them every time you touched something.
I think you would be better off using hand sanitizer.
I don't know if you have ever worn surgical gloves for a long time but they get really uncomfortable and your hands sweat bad.

In 1973 I was in Japan.
I noticed a lot of people wearing surgical masks.
I'm not sure if they were sick or if it was a preventive measure to protect them.
I suspect it was for their protection.
In the USA you would probably find it was not worth the hassle from others.
In to days world you might even find yourself explaining to the local police after some sheeple got scared.

On a side note I work in a hospital and on Monday I came down with a bad cold. Been in bed for a 2 days and looking at another 2 or 3.
Only reason I'm up now is I just couldn't lay there anymore.
My wife isn't sick and the only place I have been without her is work
Hospitals are not a good place for healthy people to stay healthy.
Wash your hands and keep them away from your face is the best thing you can do.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

The only time I caught pneumonia was back in 2006 just after K and I started dating. I got it from work. I was a swim coach and swim instructor who spent 12+ hours/ 6 days a week in the pool. Sunrise to after sunset. The pool was heated to 92 degrees and indoors but on cooler days that doesn't stop you from getting sick. 

All you can do to stay healthy is eat right, stay hydrated and take care of yourself at all times.


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

You do need to be exposed to a certain amount of germs for your immune system to remain active and healthy. In the US it is very unlikely that you will catch something significant from touching a door handle or other inanimate object. Yes you can catch flu, cold, etc. But super serious stuff isn't very likely. If you're concerned carry hand sanitizer with you if you touch something that is likely to be very dirty. But remember don't over use hand sanitizer...some scientists believe it's over use can cause problems. 

Just remember that people get sick sometimes. It's normal and natural to occasionally get ill. Eat healthy, stay hydrated, get rest, and wash your hands before eating or touching your face. 

You'll be fine.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

PeachesBackwards said:


> You from catching germs and disease or is there nothing one can do?


Germs on your hands aren't a problem until you touch your eyes, nose, mouth, or eat with those germy hands. Most people touch their face A LOT. I bet LA has some particularly nasty germs, as do most large cities.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

PeachesBackwards said:


> You from catching germs and disease or is there nothing one can do? ...My Doctor basically says that you need to be exposed to normal daily germs so your body gets used to it and that wearing disposing medical gloves may accomplish more harm than good. What do you think? ...


I know your Doctor has more training and knowledge in the medical field then I so I wouldn't pay any attention to what I think.

Oxymoron?


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## ClemKadiddlehopper (Aug 15, 2014)

WARNING: GRODY POST ALERT

Embrace dirt. Immune systems need something to do or they will turn on you and do their thing in more insidious ways. Mud pies didn't just let a kid have fun, they built the immune system up. My cousin, who now lives in California, used to eat chicken poo as a child. So far no serious side effects except that part about turning into a surfer boy. Usually the sickest people are the ones who have avoided dirt/germs and have no natural immunity to build upon.

Sixteen years overseas, and the expats who were getting medically evaced on a regular basis were the clean freaks. They only ate prescribed foods in prescribed places, imported hand sanitizers by the truck load and their houses smelled like swimming pools. The bugs had a picnic on whole families as they never acclimated to the local floral and fauna and could not cover all the potential exposures. I fell through a street once and ended up waste deep in unmentionables and was fine after a hose down from probably contaminated water. The experience was gross, but I didn't catch cooties. I attribute it to a life time of not avoiding life and being descended from good peasant stock.

There is a reason farm kids have fewer allergies than townies. 

Disclaimer: This philosophy may be harmful to your health. Do not try this at home if you are not of weak mind and strong body.


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## jimLE (Feb 25, 2015)

last time i got sick..was back in 1998.and i haven't had a tetanus shot in i dont know how many years before that..i've lived in the city and country alike.but yet,none of that dont mean i wont get sick again.i dont live the healthiest or dirtyest life.but yet.i do wash my hands when needed.i shower when needed,etc etc...a person needs to be exposed to normal daily germs so their body gets used to it.i guess that why i dont get sick any more often then i do.that,and i have done some out right dirty jobs others wouldn't do..


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## offgridcooker (Mar 5, 2012)

Hot to stop touching your face.
Put a little pepper sauce on your fingers untill you learn to stop touching your face.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I find that when I get regular exercise I get sick less often. 

Unless the OP is elderly or has reduced immunity or smokes there shouldn't be much risk of getting pneumonia again. 

I used to get bronchitis every year. My mom was a heavy smoker. After high school I worked in a foundry for almost 4 years. It wasn't until I was past my early 30's that it finally stopped.

Back in 1986 I had it so bad that I was exhausted from breathing. You want to take a rest from it but you can't.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

tsrwivey said:


> Germs on your hands aren't a problem until you touch your eyes, nose, mouth, or eat with those germy hands....


Back then, sneeze cover your mouth and nose with your hand. Then go wash your hands

Today, sneeze cover your mouth and nose with the inside of your elbow. Then what? Dip your shirt sleeve in a sink and wash, then use the electric hand blow drier to dry? Walk around all day with yuk on your shirt sleeve? Carry a spare shirt?


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

I can't tell you how many times I've seen guys walk directly out of toilet stalls in stores without washing their hands, perhaps to go shopping in the food isles, so a little due diligence can be in order, like wiping the cart handles with sanitary wipes. The biggest problem for getting flu, pneumonia, colds or any other such sickness is touching around your mouth or nose, if you wear glasses, like I do, you don't realize how many times a day you push your glasses back up on your nose, having contact in the process. Years ago when I worked as a custodian/ maintenance person at a local high school, I got a horrible case of bronchitis, kids were coughing, sneezing and spitting into drinking fountains and other places I had to clean and I probably got sick from the habit of unknowingly push my glasses up with contaminated rubber gloves. Liked to have died from trying to cough up all the junk, during deer season I had deer come out of the woods to see what was making all the horrible noise, it really did happen. It took me months to get rid of that case of bronchitis, but I never got it that bad again so I suspect it helped my immune system.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Back in 1987 when we first moved to California I got colds, flu and bronchitis several times a month. I was never that sick when we lived in Texas. After several years of chronic illnesses I stopped getting sick. It was my immune system adapting to the bugs, pollen, etc in a new environment. I no longer get sick except one every few years. I do get the sniffles but I think it has to do with running the AC in the heat then going outside to take care of the livestock.

I am prepared for Roo to go through a round of illness when we move out of state.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Before I read all the posts, I was thinking about when the Olympics were in Japan in 1998. One of the conversations was about how common it is for people to wear face masks there, especially if they are not well. 

I wouldn't think that wearing gloves would exactly keep you from getting sick, unless you did as has already been mentioned, didn't touch your face. I would think that frequent hand washing would be a better tactic to use. Also, keep some hand sanitizer handy and use it.

I used to teach preschool, and there would be times when everyone would be sick. I found that one of the better strategies for me was to wash all the places that children touched with some disinfectant. I also was asking children to wash their hands frequently. Imagine this amount of handwashing: before breakfast, after breakfast, before lunch, after lunch, after recess, before snack, after snack, after you use the restroom, when you cough or sneeze. It begins to feel excessive, and there is often a line at the sink for handwashing. Children begin to get chapped hands. And, when there was a rash of colds, spraying the room with Lysol just before I went home, and closing the door.

I think it is better to be exposed to some germs, unless or until there is some serious illness going around.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

One of the things I learned in EMT school was don't rely on hand sanitizer. They are anti-bacterial which sounds great, right? WRONG! there's good cooties and bad cooties and things that are 99.9% anti bacterial are NOT discriminatory... they kill all of it! and you need your good cooties! (bacteria) 

for daily hygiene washing your hands with soap and hot water is the best plan.

I don't know what the deal is in Japan, perhaps there was TB outbreaks or some other airborne contaminant. My understanding of their culture (please for my ignorance since I have not personally been there) is that due to the geography and very steep hills, the population is extremely dense in the cities. So wearing a mask might be a great idea especially if there's some nasty airborne bugs around.

Reaching back to EMT training again, we don't have someone standing lookout and handing out masks, if someone is sick, put a mask on them!

MRSA is one of the big threats out there, 1 in 3 people is a carrier. YIKES!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methicillin-resistant_Staphylococcus_aureus


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

I agree with Dakine about the hand sanitizer. It's overused and that leads to other problems. Washing your hands is sufficient. If you must use sanitizer, just do it before meal preparation.

Handkerchiefs/tissues are what civilized people carry in case they must sneeze, cough, or blow their noses.

The major routes for germs to enter the body are ingestion, inhalation, injection, and direct contact with an open wound or a mucous membrane. People in Japan wear the masks to stop the inhalation route which is due to population density and exposure to things like SARS.


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## Gians (Nov 8, 2012)

Dakine said:


> One of the things I learned in EMT school was don't rely on hand sanitizer. They are anti-bacterial which sounds great, right? WRONG! there's good cooties and bad cooties and things that are 99.9% anti bacterial are NOT discriminatory... they kill all of it! and you need your good cooties! (bacteria)
> 
> for daily hygiene washing your hands with soap and hot water is the best plan.
> 
> ...


Got me curious as to why the Japanese wear the masks, apparently they do for lots of reasons.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/...gical-masks-its-not-always-for-health-reasons
_TOKYO -

The number of people you'll see in Japan wearing surgical masks is pretty surprising. Sure, Japan is a hard working society, and the spread of productivity-sapping sickness is always a concern at schools and workplaces, but that doesn't seem like reason enough for the proliferation of facial coverings that sometimes has Tokyo offices looking more like an operating room.

Health concerns are only part of the equation, though, as recent studies have revealed multiple reasons people in Japan wear masks that have nothing to do with hygiene.

Until recently, masks were primarily worn by people who had already come down with an illness. If you were feeling under the weather but couldn't take the day off, common courtesy dictated that you cover your mouth and nose with a mask, so as not to breathe your germs all over you class or office mates or fellow commuters.

Things started changing in 2003, though, when medical supply maker Unicharm released a new type of mask specifically designed for hay fever sufferers. Until that point, most masks had been made of cotton, with an inner pouch into which gauze was placed. After taking off the mask users threw out the gauze, washed the cotton mask for reuse, and restuffed the pocket.

Unicharm's anti-hay fever masks, though, were made of non-woven material, which was more effective in blocking pollen. They were also completely disposable and could be cheaply bought in bulk. This new type of mask was a game changer, and business research firm Fuji Keizai now says non-woven masks account for 86% of the market today.

The introduction of these cheap, easier-to-use masks also made it more practical to wear one in order to prevent getting sick in the first place. Commuting in Japan often means spending an hour or more pressed up against your fellow passengers on a train or bus, and not everyone has the good manners to put down their smartphone and cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze.

Sales figures show that use of masks has more than tripled over the last decade, with particularly large spikes caused by influenza outbreak fears in 2009 and worries over micro particulate matter following the earthquake and nuclear accident of 2011. Estimates for fiscal year 2013 value Japan's mask market at 23.9 billion yen.

But as masks provoke less and less surprise, some people are using them for purposes that have nothing to do with physical health.

One 46-year-old mother, who herself wears a mask every day in the winter to prevent getting sick, says her high-school-age daughter wears one for a completely different reason. "She puts on a mask and sticks headphones in her ears so that people won't bother her. It makes it harder for them to start talking to her."

Juvenile psychologist Jun Fujikake has made simmilar observations. "When we deal with others, we have to judge whether to do things like smile or show anger," he explains. "By wearing a mask, you can prevent having to do that. The trend of wearing a mask to prevent directly dealing with other may have roots in the current youth culture in which many of them are more accustomed to communicating indirectly through email and social media."

But the recent surge in masks' popularity isn't entirely the result of a desire to give people the cold shoulder. On the contrary, an increasing number of people are using masks because of their desire for warmth.

Japan gets pretty chilly during the winter. Thankfully, the layered look is definitely in, and as the temperature drops, you can bundle up with tights, undershirts, sweaters, parkas, gloves, scarves, and caps. One thing that's hard to do, though, is keep your face warm.

Granted, you could always pick up a ski mask at the sporting goods shop, but effectiveness aside, you're going to get some strange looks wearing one anywhere other than on the slopes. But since Japanese society has already gotten used to people wearing surgical masks outside of the hospital, you can safely put one on to keep your nose and cheeks warm without attracting any attention.

Not only have masks become so commonplace that wearers aren't seen as unattractive, some people are finding fashion and beauty uses for them. One professional model interviewed by reporters says she often slips on a mask after washing off her makeup at the end of a photo shoot, in order to keep her au naturel face hidden from the public. Even women whose livelihood doesn't depend on looking their best at all times are finding masks to be a handy for those times when they need to dash out to run errands and don't feel like spending a half-hour putting on blush and lipstick first.

Some people even see masks as a fashionable accessory. An online search for masuku bijin or "beautiful masked girl" will bring up hundreds of results, and an increasing number of companies are offering masks with floral, polka dot, and even houndstooth patterns, not to mention jet-black ninja-style masks for guys.

There's even a mask whose seller claims it'll help you lose weight. Cosmetics maker T-Garden has jumped into the mask arena with its Flavor Mask. Not only does it feature a pretty-in-pink design, each disposable mask comes infused with the scent of raspberry, which T-Garden says will boost your metabolism.

We're not entirely convinced about the scientific soundness of their promise, and from an armchair psychology viewpoint, it seems like a food-based fragrance is going to do more to ramp up your appetite than your metabolism. Still, like any mask it should help prevent you from passing a cold around, keep your face a little warmer, cut off unwanted social interaction, and preclude the need to wear extensive makeup, none of which is necessarily diminished by its calorie-burning quackery._


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## PeachesBackwards (Sep 8, 2015)

weedygarden said:


> Before I read all the posts, I was thinking about when the Olympics were in Japan in 1998. One of the conversations was about how common it is for people to wear face masks there, especially if they are not well.
> 
> I wouldn't think that wearing gloves would exactly keep you from getting sick, unless you did as has already been mentioned, didn't touch your face. I would think that frequent hand washing would be a better tactic to use. Also, keep some hand sanitizer handy and use it.
> 
> ...


I laugh that these idiot schools give kids awards for perfect attendance when in fact they've probably gone to school sick and infected other kids.


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## PeachesBackwards (Sep 8, 2015)

Dakine said:


> One of the things I learned in EMT school was don't rely on hand sanitizer. They are anti-bacterial which sounds great, right? WRONG! there's good cooties and bad cooties and things that are 99.9% anti bacterial are NOT discriminatory... they kill all of it! and you need your good cooties! (bacteria)
> 
> for daily hygiene washing your hands with soap and hot water is the best plan.
> 
> ...


Wow How do you avoid catching disease? You're a better person than I!!!!


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

PeachesBackwards said:


> Wow How do you avoid catching disease? You're a better person than I!!!!


I don't want to go to extremes and say I'm a better person.

I try hard not to touch my face, as others pointed out, that's where there's a huge likelihood of contact where something you touched gets into your eyes nose or throat... and that's all BAD!!! 

my buddies wife was in nursing school when he and I were in EMT school. For her they did a little example. they made everyone wear gloves and then sprayed everyones hands with a solution, basically looked like water spray.

after the class was over they turned off the lights and turned on a black light and showed the class everything that had been "infected" by them touching it. Peoples faces, their entire bodies, the entire ROOM!!! their books, everything was "contaminated"

wash your hands, don't touch your face, avoid the unwashed masses if you can (taxi, bus, etc) and just be vigilant but not paranoid. do what you can with what you can control, let the fates worry about the rest!


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## ras1219como (Jan 15, 2013)

Peaches you can't avoid catching diseases. Germs are everywhere no matter how clean and careful you are. For example, every person on the planet has the bacteria that causes staph on their skin already. The same goes for other germs too.

You can prevent exposure to some of the more serious diseases by practicing body substance isolation (don't contact body fluids) and by using personal protective equipment if you might be exposed to a sick person. This is what first responders do. But you can't avoid being exposed to "routine" illnesses like the cold and flu. 

You cannot live in fear of getting sick or you'll never be able to live. People get sick sometimes and it's nothing to be paranoid about. Just try and maintain a healthy lifestyle and wash your hands regularly but don't spend your whole life worried that if you go in public you'll catch something.


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

One of the things you can do to build up your immune system is to mega-dose on Vitamin C. I don't recall whether it was Dr. Salk or Dr. Sabin who advocated doing this, but I have done it and it works. The trick is to not take too much since it will lead to diarrhea.


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## readytogo (Apr 6, 2013)

Sounds to me that you have certain fears but I`m pretty sure that you eat and 99.9% of the food that you eat is handle by human hands and at the market humans love to touch and squeeze the consumables they also sneeze and come out of the restrooms with dirty hands, you probably come into your house and go straight for the fridge without washing your hands, the bottom line my fried is that we lived and breeze germs 24/7 and unless you lived in a bubble you are expose to them, my advice to you is to wash your hands and take a break from zombie movies.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

When I read the original post and the subsequent replies I got one image in my mind ... 






:eyebulge:


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## PeachesBackwards (Sep 8, 2015)

Marcus said:


> One of the things you can do to build up your immune system is to mega-dose on Vitamin C. I don't recall whether it was Dr. Salk or Dr. Sabin who advocated doing this, but I have done it and it works. The trick is to not take too much since it will lead to diarrhea.


Thanks will ask my Doctor about Mega Dose of Vitamin C and if she extolls it, will go on it.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

I carry hand sanitizer with me everywhere and when I was doing nursing school I became conscious over time about how often I touch my face and have slowly trained myself out of the habit. Seemed to help but still not perfect at it. Takes repetitive conscious thought.


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## bugoutbob (Nov 11, 2012)

Ah, hand sanitizer ... the primary germicidal ingredient in most is alcohol ... interesting thing about alcohol is that it takes up to 10 minutes to kill bacteria... how long does the sanitizer stay on your hand? Likely less than 10 minutes ... probable level of effectiveness in truth likely near zero and as already been pointed out it kills good bacteria as well as bad. Perhaps not as effective as some would have us believe. Please note I am not a doctor, trained medical person, expert on disease control or trained lab rat. Just expressing a personal opinion. Do your own research


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Alcohol doesn't take 10 minutes to work. Hand sanitizer is worthwhile. Doesn't kill spores so use soap and water for fungus concerns.


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## bugoutbob (Nov 11, 2012)

CrackbottomLouis said:


> Alcohol doesn't take 10 minutes to work. Hand sanitizer is worthwhile. Doesn't kill spores so use soap and water for fungus concerns.


As you wish. My research shows something very different, ten minutes is the time recommended for application time for alcohol, but as I said I'm not a trained professional. I do agree with you on soap and water for fungal concerns.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

We did a week long lab on disinfectants in microbiology that entailed looking at bacterial concentrations before and after under a microscope after application of many things including bleach, alcohol, listerine, hydrogen peroxide etc. Bleach was most effective but alcohol was close up there. We also checked in various time increments post appliction. Obviously the more you use for a longer amount of time the better any disinfectant works but alcohol is pretty effective even after a very short interval (less than 20 seconds). Certainly good enough for general everyday concerns combined with avoiding touching your face and regular hand washing. If I was worried about something particular and immediately prevalent like in an outbreak I would probably up the ante but alcohol is still a good general safety measure.

It's also good to point out that it depends on what bacteria you are trying to kill. They are not all equal. A simple example is a gram negative bacteria that has a much tougher cell wall than gram positive bacteria. This all just how I understand it and from what I saw in a lab. Taking microbiology in college and a week long lab certainly doesn't make me an expert.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

CrackbottomLouis said:


> We did a week long lab on disinfectants in microbiology ...This all just how I understand it and from what I saw in a lab. Taking microbiology in college and a week long lab certainly doesn't make me an expert.


During TEOTWAWKI your week long lab and survival rates could very well make you the resident expert.


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## Wikkador (Oct 22, 2014)

I am certainly no expert but I can tell what I do. I feel like well cared for intact skin is a very good barrier against most bugs as long as you wash your hands often. If I have cuts or abrasions, I cover them with a bandage. I dont wear gloves in public and I do not use hand sanitizer. I am not really sure that the majority of hand sanitizers are going to do anything against dangerous microbes. I do use a paper towel to open restroom doors and I often use the my pocket pry bar to slide latches or push elevator buttons. I do subscribe to the idea that some exposure is needed for a normal functioning immune system and I am sure I get plenty. I think a good dose of common sense and paying attention can also go along way toward protecting you against potentially hazardous exposure.


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## PeachesBackwards (Sep 8, 2015)

*Interesting Concept and I LIke it*



Wikkador said:


> I am certainly no expert but I can tell what I do. I feel like well cared for intact skin is a very good barrier against most bugs as long as you wash your hands often. If I have cuts or abrasions, I cover them with a bandage. I dont wear gloves in public and I do not use hand sanitizer. I am not really sure that the majority of hand sanitizers are going to do anything against dangerous microbes. I do use a paper towel to open restroom doors and I often use the my pocket pry bar to slide latches or push elevator buttons. I do subscribe to the idea that some exposure is needed for a normal functioning immune system and I am sure I get plenty. I think a good dose of common sense and paying attention can also go along way toward protecting you against potentially hazardous exposure.


While I try not to use Public Bathrooms (which would include Doctor/Dentists Office and Business Offices), I like the idea of using gloves to open up doors, etc. Hasn't really thought of that before and I think this is a good idea that I will try to implement immediately by always carrying disposable gloves with me. Thanks for making me aware of this!!!!


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Using the restrooms in public places is tricky. You've got the toilet seat, toilet handle, stall lock, sink knobs, paper towel dispenser handle, & the exit door to contend with. I touch none of those surfaces with the palm side of my hands. I hover above the toilet seat, flush with my foot, & use my knuckle to manipulate the stall lock & the paper towel dispenser. Sink knobs are a problem if they aren't the lever kind that are easy to use with an elbow. For the knob kind, I'll use a paper towel. If they don't have paper towels, I'll use wet wipes/hand sanitizer. Under no circumstances do I touch the sink knobs, few people even know how to wash their hands properly & actually do it. If there are no paper towels & I can't get out the exit door any other way, I'll use the bottom of my shirt to cover my hand while I open it. I'm a tad rediculous but a public bathroom is a very nasty place.


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