By Rose Flores -Martinez, Contributor
03/06/2009
“The population is growing and more people are being brought together in one place. More people work, we spend more time in public places, and so we end up sharing more common surfaces now. The transfer of infectious virus may readily occur between inanimate and animate objects, or vice versa, and between two separate fomites (inanimate objects that transmit infectious organisms from one person to another, such as towels, toys, dishes, etc.). Plus our lives are busier, so we spend less time cleaning,” explains Dr. Chuck Gerba, also known as the “Germ Doctor” and a professor of environmental microbiology in University of Arizona.
What do we worry about these fomites? GERMS. Germs are around us. And while we eat for nourishment, so must we be taking care to keep ourselves away from sickness.
“The hand-washing with soap habit is the most cost-effective health antigen,” asserts Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).
Two biggest killers of children in developing world today are diarrheal diseases and urinary tract infections. These sicknesses can come from flies, fluids and surfaces, but more than anything they come from our fingers — our own hands. These hands touch everything. And everything in it carries the threatening germs.
“Take a person with a cold: 40 to 90 percent of the adults with a cold have the virus on their hands, and every 60 seconds a working adult touches as many as 30 objects. Cold and enteric viruses can survive up to 72 hours on surfaces. We can see that fomites can be a big contributor in transmitting germs,” Gerba adds.
Eighty percent of homes investigated by Dr. Gerba had viruses on phone receivers, refrigerators, microwaves, faucets, knobs, sponges and computers, among others. Outside homes lurk germs in parks, cars, day care centers — everywhere. An ATP Luminometer detects instantly the presence of germs and has tested several areas and things.
A collaboration
“For many years, we at the Red Cross have been at the forefront of disaster management in the Philippines and we’ve seen how epidemics can get started from reasons as simple as unsanitary habits,” said Gordon. “That is why we are also working in partnership with Safeguard to promote better hygiene, especially proper hand washing, to reduce the incidence of disease both in disaster situations and everyday life.”
Procter and Gamble (P&G), the makers of Safeguard Professional Care, makes us aware that germs lurk in our environments, promoting the importance of cleanliness among Filipino families. Even way back, kids were convinced that they have to use germ-combating soap. “I thought microscopic bugs to be scary, and so I use Safeguard,” said a five-year-old kid.
The New Safeguard Professional Care is formulated as the new genesis of superior skin germ protection. “The soap is uniquely made with the highest level of skin germ protection ingredient, TCC (triclocarban), which helps skin infections from getting worse and washes away disease causing germs,” said Mai Mai Punzalan, marketing manager of Safeguard.
Added Cora de Leon from the Red Cross: “We are raising our voice to let people know good health is in the hands of the people.”
Surveys says that if developing countries are to achieve reductions in child mortality, not only water and sanitation must become universal, but so must the habit of hand washing with soap. This requires health ministries, schools, NGOs and communities to tap every opportunity to promote hand washing with soap, especially among busy workers and children.
Let this be our mantra: “I shall wash.”
How to wash hands properly
1. Wet hands.
2. Soap.
3. Lather and scrub for 20 seconds.
4. Rinse for 10 seconds.
5. Dry hands with a clean towel.
Don’t forget to wash between fingers, under nails and the tops of hands.
03/06/2009
“The population is growing and more people are being brought together in one place. More people work, we spend more time in public places, and so we end up sharing more common surfaces now. The transfer of infectious virus may readily occur between inanimate and animate objects, or vice versa, and between two separate fomites (inanimate objects that transmit infectious organisms from one person to another, such as towels, toys, dishes, etc.). Plus our lives are busier, so we spend less time cleaning,” explains Dr. Chuck Gerba, also known as the “Germ Doctor” and a professor of environmental microbiology in University of Arizona.
What do we worry about these fomites? GERMS. Germs are around us. And while we eat for nourishment, so must we be taking care to keep ourselves away from sickness.
“The hand-washing with soap habit is the most cost-effective health antigen,” asserts Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).
Two biggest killers of children in developing world today are diarrheal diseases and urinary tract infections. These sicknesses can come from flies, fluids and surfaces, but more than anything they come from our fingers — our own hands. These hands touch everything. And everything in it carries the threatening germs.
“Take a person with a cold: 40 to 90 percent of the adults with a cold have the virus on their hands, and every 60 seconds a working adult touches as many as 30 objects. Cold and enteric viruses can survive up to 72 hours on surfaces. We can see that fomites can be a big contributor in transmitting germs,” Gerba adds.
Eighty percent of homes investigated by Dr. Gerba had viruses on phone receivers, refrigerators, microwaves, faucets, knobs, sponges and computers, among others. Outside homes lurk germs in parks, cars, day care centers — everywhere. An ATP Luminometer detects instantly the presence of germs and has tested several areas and things.
A collaboration
“For many years, we at the Red Cross have been at the forefront of disaster management in the Philippines and we’ve seen how epidemics can get started from reasons as simple as unsanitary habits,” said Gordon. “That is why we are also working in partnership with Safeguard to promote better hygiene, especially proper hand washing, to reduce the incidence of disease both in disaster situations and everyday life.”
Procter and Gamble (P&G), the makers of Safeguard Professional Care, makes us aware that germs lurk in our environments, promoting the importance of cleanliness among Filipino families. Even way back, kids were convinced that they have to use germ-combating soap. “I thought microscopic bugs to be scary, and so I use Safeguard,” said a five-year-old kid.
The New Safeguard Professional Care is formulated as the new genesis of superior skin germ protection. “The soap is uniquely made with the highest level of skin germ protection ingredient, TCC (triclocarban), which helps skin infections from getting worse and washes away disease causing germs,” said Mai Mai Punzalan, marketing manager of Safeguard.
Added Cora de Leon from the Red Cross: “We are raising our voice to let people know good health is in the hands of the people.”
Surveys says that if developing countries are to achieve reductions in child mortality, not only water and sanitation must become universal, but so must the habit of hand washing with soap. This requires health ministries, schools, NGOs and communities to tap every opportunity to promote hand washing with soap, especially among busy workers and children.
Let this be our mantra: “I shall wash.”
How to wash hands properly
1. Wet hands.
2. Soap.
3. Lather and scrub for 20 seconds.
4. Rinse for 10 seconds.
5. Dry hands with a clean towel.
Don’t forget to wash between fingers, under nails and the tops of hands.
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