How to Keep Germs from Making You Sick

The world can be a beautiful place, but it's also a germy one. Germs are everywhere, in the air and on surfaces. While most germs will do you no harm, some can cause sicknesses and diseases. It's amazing how many people, kids and adults alike sneeze or cough without covering their mouths. Unfortunately, on a train ride to work, it's not uncommon to see grown people sneeze or cough without covering their mouths, allowing their germs to get on everything and everyone. When someone sneezes, "nearly 40,000 aerosol droplets are propelled through the air around 95mph." Imagine the germs a sick person who sneezes without covering their nose with tissue or with their hands spread. Those who are polite enough to cover their face, still allow their germs to spread by touching surfaces that others have to touch as well. One way to keep yourself as healthy as possible is to keep your hands clean. We're all taught that at a young age, but in cases where you're not close to a sink with soap and water, the next best thing to use is hand sanitizer.

Simply put, hand sanitizer is a life saver, and that's not overstating it. In fact, you'll notice that most hospitals have hand sanitizer stations located throughout the building to remind people to keep those hands clean. Hand sanitizer is a hand washing liquid solution that contains alcohol, with the purpose of decreasing bacteria on the skin. It ranges from super large bottles that can be stored on your home shelf, to tiny size bottles that can easily fit in your pocket without bulking. The best part about most hand sanitizers is that they kill nearly all of the germs that can be found on someone's hands. A 10fl oz bottle of Germ-X hand sanitizer which contains vitamin E, can be purchase at most Wal-Mart stores for about $2. The bottle states, "Effective at eliminating over 99.99% of many common harmful germs and bacteria in as little as 15 seconds." Plus, the vitamin E moisturizer leaves your hands feeling smooth.

An added plus is that it's safe for kids to use as well. Most bottles will suggest that if your child is under 6 years old that it be used with adult supervision. Hand sanitizer is something that every child and teenager definitely needs. We all know how many kids have the habit of sneezing, coughing and picking at their noses, then touching the monkey bars or other things located throughout their school. Imagine fun field trips at parks and zoos, and then your child goes to eat their lunch. Children are more likely to not wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water and the last thing they need to do is put their germy hands in the mouths. A good way to keep your child safe from germs is to buy them one of the little bottles of hand sanitizer that can be kept in their pockets or backpacks. As for teens, just picture the library and computer lab. The computer labs stay filled with young adults trying to access the latest on the Internet or working on homework. In high school and college settings, hundreds of students take advantage of the free Internet access on a regular basis, thus touching the same keyboards over and over again. You never know where someone's hands have been.

Hand sanitizer is good for every age, except for infants and should be used accordingly. The last thing anyone needs to do is touch a germy surface, then make a mistake and rub their eyes. Every day we have to touch doors or sit at desks which contain millions of bacteria spores and germs. No one likes being sick and having to miss work or an important event. Nor do parents like having a sick child at home, not able to go to school. You want you and your family as safe and healthy as possible. So, keep hand sanitizer on the list of things to never run out of. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Sources

Germ-X
www.germx.com/

HealthHype.com
www.healthhype.com/sneezing-causes-treatments-and-good-sneezing-practices.html
Sneezing - Causes, Treatments, and good Sneezing Practices