Germiest surfaces identified

How you can protect yourself from the common cold

We think of winter as “flu season” but summer colds are very common.  Unfortunately, no one has come up with a vaccination or cure for the common cold, which is usually spread through contact (unlike the flu virus, which is spread through the air.)  So it’s important to know how to best protect yourself from spending days coughing, sneezing and feeling miserable. 

A recent study conducted by the University of Arizona and Kimberly-Clark revealed the most germ-contaminated objects that are commonly touched. Gas pump handles topped the list at 71 percent, followed by mailbox handles and escalator rails.

The results of this study are no surprise to Keith Woeltje, MD, PhD, director of the Clinical Advisory Group and Healthcare Informatics, BJC Center for Clinical Excellence, and professor of infectious diseases at Washington University. “There are germs on everything, and that’s OK,” he explains. “Our immune systems are designed to handle exposure to germs.”

While touching these things is for the most part unavoidable, it’s what you do afterward that’s important. “If you touch high-risk objects that lots of other people touch, then you definitely want to wash your hands or use alcohol gel or hand rub before you eat or if you’re touching your face a lot,” Dr. Woeltje advises.

He says some simple precautions can help prevent spreading or getting the virus:

• Sneeze into your elbow instead of your hand when you have a cold
• Wash your hands throughout the day - especially before touching food or your face
• Keep a regular schedule of prevention check-ups with your primary care or family practice doctor to make sure a "cold" isn't something more

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colds are one of the most common causes of work and school absenteeism each year.  

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