Question of the Week
Are You Washing a Full 20 Seconds?
Posted Apr 29, 2009 3:22 PM CST
By Molly McDonough
Children learn in preschool that to truly prevent the spread of nasty viruses like swine flu, the best approach is to cover your mouth when you cough and wash your hands. But a squirt of soap and a quick rinse won't do the trick.
Indeed, to get those nasty bugs off, one must lather up and scrub for a full 20 seconds, about the length of the ABCs song. NPR this week observed that adults may not be as inclined as a preschooler to sing their ABCs every morning, so they came up with a few alternatives, including a 20-second key sound bite of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody."
This made us chuckle, then wonder what other flu prevention measures you're trying as you commute to work, meet with clients and mingle with co-workers.
So tell us ...
Are you or co-workers already donning face masks and eliminating handshakes like lawyers at firms in Mexico? Have you implemented telecommuting? Or are you just operating as normal?
Answer in the comments below.
Read last week's answers to this question: If You Had 12 Months of Paid Free Time, What Would You Do?
Featured answer:
Posted by eatthepeeps: "I would get hired by Andrea as a cook on her South Pacific adventure with Edward, then for the last month I would sneak in B. McLeod’s house and eat the peeps, then go shopping with Abner for fat clothes. We can dream can’t we?"
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Comments
B. McLeod
Apr 29, 2009 7:23 PM CST
Just operating as [close as we ever get to] normal.
Bill Dugan
Apr 30, 2009 5:39 AM CST
I always wash my hands after I do #2, but not always #1. Will this be a problem? I hope not. Maybe this means less hand-shaking.
Victoria
May 1, 2009 5:27 AM CST
Our very forward thinking Wake County Bar had a speaker on Pandemic Preparedness a few months ago. As a result, I appointed the office manager as our “pandemic preparedness coordinator” (PPC) . She has just reported to me that we have sufficient water, coffee, and toilet paper to get us through. But we have to order more hand sanitizer.
John S.
May 1, 2009 6:36 AM CST
I heard from a health official this week, that you also have to make sure you thoroughly rinse all the soap off your hands, because the soap can actually support germs on your hands for longer periods. So maybe two rounds of Bohemian Rhapsody are in order, one for wash, one for rinse.
Oh and Bill Dugan, I’m sure you try to urinate on your hands, but yea, don’t be offended if I don’t shake your hand when we meet.
bg
May 1, 2009 6:41 AM CST
It is hard to convey the proper attitude of an attorney while cowering behind a mask and hand sanitizer, or refusing to touch documents until you have “gloved up.” Therefore, I have started greeting clients and counsel alike with a deep throated kiss as I feel a sedate handshake is too impersonal, especially in these germ-infested times. My firm’s management does not appear to be concerned about any increased exposure, although I have noticed that they have started to observed as I greet female clients and counsel.
Grossed out
May 1, 2009 6:56 AM CST
Is Poster #2 joking? He or she uses the bathroom and doesn’t wash hands after urinating?!
That is really disgusting. Poster #2 is sharing his/her GERMS with every client, colleague and other person that he/she comes into contact with after exiting the bathroom. Every handshake Poster #2 gives. Every touch of Poster #2’s hand on your belongings. Every doorknob that Poster #2 touches after exiting the bathroom is therefore touched by the hand that had contact with his/her genitalia and urine. I’m sure that’s an attractive thought for Poster #2’s colleagues, clients and friends!
JMH
May 1, 2009 7:00 AM CST
My boss told me yesterday that we should be singing “Happy Birthday” while washing our hands, because you’re supposed to wash at least as long as it takes to sing the song. I, personally, am going to spare other bathroom users and just count to 20. But yes, I plan to be washing my hands at least that long because I have a young child at home.
JDirk
May 1, 2009 8:58 AM CST
Poster #6,
Not only do I not wash my hands after #1, I don’t wash my hands after #2, either—and I deliberately shake hands with everyone I encounter after “finishing up” the latter. I keep a dry erase board to track the vectors of all my transmittable infections.
So in response to the question: Oh yes. Quite normal. Blissfully so.
Grossed out
May 1, 2009 9:12 AM CST
JDirk/Poster #8:
You’re pretty funny, I do admit :-)
Nevertheless, I maintain that you animals that do not wash your hands after using the bathroom should be shunned by civilized society. The shunning would entail you not being allowed to shake hands or touch things in common areas. Same for the nasty nose-pickers that enjoy a good pick and then have the nerve to touch my bare arm or my clothing.
JME
May 1, 2009 10:24 AM CST
I don’t even get annual influenza shots. I used to. When I was in the USAF they forced them on us annually. I was sick every winter. Since I got out, I don’t do flu shots, and I don’t get sick. Since I live fairly rural, I am not concerned either about the H1N1 or the usual strains that have killed many thousands more already this winter.
Reality
May 1, 2009 11:01 AM CST
After a Nightline or 20-20 episode that showed there were more germs on the sink handles and door handle than on the floor around the toilet in typical public restrooms (a finding I’ve seen confirmed by two high school science fair projects) I never wash my hands in a public restroom anymore.
Think things through
May 1, 2009 11:18 AM CST
#11, please think about what you just wrote. Why do you think there are more germs on sink “handles” and door “handles”?? Because they are touched by hands that were in contact with urine, feces or unclean genitals! People place their unwashed hands on the sink and door handles.
Also, I’m at a loss as to how fewer germs on the floor around the toilet leads you to NOT wash your hands. That makes no sense whatsoever. I suspect you just don’t want to wash your hands, which is pretty nasty.
I always wash my hands after using the bathroom. That’s how my parents raised me.
Also, I turn the faucet on with bare hands, but turn the faucet off with a paper towel or tissue, and open the bathroom door with a paper towel or tissue.
WASH YOUR HANDS. It’s called good hygiene, folks.
John S.
May 1, 2009 12:16 PM CST
#8 JDirk, thank you so much. I got a good chuckle out of your post, a genuine laugh out loud.
As for Grossed Out, you have to get some help. I totally agree that people should wash hands in the restroom, but you have germaphobia, PHOBIA being the operative part. You have an irrational fear of germs. Yes germs exist, and yes we should all do our part about to be hygenic, but the rant in your posts reveal that you’re suffering from serious, unhealthy anxiety. Your skin has natural anti-bodies that do a pretty good job of killing the little critters you fear. Relax a bit.
counselorm
May 1, 2009 12:39 PM CST
Like #13, I’m all about balance… wash my hands but don’t obsess over it. I also think that the media is excited they have something other than the economy and new administration to get readership. Personally, I am still planning to head to Cancun at the end of the month. There really has been no indication that this is materially worse than the “seasonal flu,” which one could categorize as a “pandemic” as well… so is the common cold, chicken pox….
washingplus
May 1, 2009 4:10 PM CST
We use the public rest rooms in our building. We do not not have those facilities within our office. Because I had seen other “gentlemen” from other offices fail to wash at all after taking care of business, I started to not only wash my hands for at least twenty seconds but also to wash the handle of the faucet (to account for those who just splash water but use no soap) and to use a paper towel to cover the doorknob when exiting the rest room. I’ve been here for almost 15 years; and, swine flu or no swine flu, I intend to continue those practices as long as I work here.
onceanonwasheralwaysanonwasher
May 1, 2009 7:24 PM CST
some lady in our office did the fake wash. turn on the water for a split second and run out. why even bother putting your germs on the facet!
Laurin
May 8, 2009 8:39 AM CST
I read an article that said the ABC song is approximately 20 seconds…now I find myself singing the ABC song in my head every time I wash my hands….it is very annoying, I did not like the ABC song as a child and I don’t like it now…but at least I won’t get swine flu!
Mike
May 8, 2009 9:14 AM CST
I’m not afraid of swine flu or any other type of disease. I’ll keep following the practices I’ve been doing for the last 40 years.
All the stuff about public restrooms, etc., make me glad I just go out back and use the tree.
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