Germs

I just felt like writing a little about this subject since so many of you are Hell bent on wearing flip flops in showers. One of the grants that the lab got when I was working there was to research germs in common areas. This research was funded to aid in how far the bird flu pandemic would spread and how fast.

One of the things looked at was common showers. If the person before you had some type of germ, well, it's in the perfect place to breed. The second you reach down to wash your lower leg, well, you have it from the water splashing up. Next you wash your hair. The water gets in your mouth, nose and eyes. All perfect entry points. Flip flops do nothing to prevent infection unless you have open sores. Most germs you fight off with your natural immune system but having an open sore will allow the germ to take hold at a far accelerated pace.

Every single thing you touch has germs and there is no way to avoid them. When a person sneezes you only have to be within 15 feet and you will absorb enough to be infected.

Your mother will tell you that you need to eat better or something along those lines because you don't see her getting a cold. That's because there are only about 2500 variations of the cold. Once you get one, your immune to it from now on. Your mother has had 2499 already and that's why she doesn't get sick.

If everyone were to stay at home alone for 2 weeks we would wipe the common cold off the face of the earth. You can't catch your death of cold from being outside without proper clothing. You can only get a cold from another person.

Some guy takes a wiz and well, as you know, it splashes everywhere. He comes out, ties his shoe because it's loose and shakes your hand. Unless you have cut all your finger nails off, have a hard bristle brush and scrub your hands with bleach for 15 minutes until your hands are ready to bleed, you still have germs.

It was interesting to say the least when our lab did the experiment which everyone took part in. The germs were non infectious and at the end of the day we all put our hands under a Raman Spectrometer that detects if we had the germs. It's was totally amazing. People who had no contact with anyone had the germs and trying to figure out how we got it was a riot.

The bottom line was. In 3 weeks the whole U.S. would be infected with bird flu. As far as getting germs from public places. The absolute best defense is to eat right and get enough sleep. This alone keeps your immune system at top performance.

[Twilight Flyer]

Estimated 100+ million dead world-wide from the next flu pandemic, whenever that hits. If that don't open your eyes, nothing will.

[allan5oh]

I always wash from top to bottom, and really scrub my feet. Honestly I've never used sandals, but I also have never used a "wet" shower.

I make sure to get my feet completely 100% dry after using the shower. That means scrubbing between the toes!

If the pandemic does hit and you contract it, most likely you will be dead in 3 days. Some people have a natural immunity to the terminal effects of it. It doesn't matter how healthy you are.

We talked about it quite a bit at work and probably 99% of us have enough food and supplies to last for a month. I do but I guess it won't matter in my new job driving.

Everything will break down in 2 days. No fire, no police, no doctors, no NOTHING. Everyone will head for home. The whole system will break down.
Cheery thought, huh.

[Twilight Flyer]

Yeah, I've read a few studies on what would happen if a pandemic hit and the chaos that would grip the world will be unlike anything anyone has ever imagined. Most of the health officials are of like mind...it's not IF a pandemic hits, it's when. That's an even cheerier thought. :?

[allan5oh]

I remember reading a few articles that cited studies, and the chance of this bird flu mutating to a human-borne strain is less than 1%.

[RostyC]

Here that Rev, you can stop grabbing enough paper towels to get through your bathroom ritual so you don't have to touch anything. Everytime I go into a public restroom I think of you. :shock: Did I just say that?

Good post Steve, I always get a kick out of the germ people, one of my workers is a germ freak, constant source of entertainment!

[Twilight Flyer]

I remember reading a few articles that cited studies, and the chance of this bird flu mutating to a human-borne strain is less than 1%.

True, but there are other strains of flu out there that are extremely dangerous and virulent. There was a strain that killed millions some 30 years ago, I believe...the last pandemic we had. With today's globe-trotting population, a similar outbreak would result in 9 digits of casualties, easy. Scary.

[RostyC]

Only scary if you think about it for too long TF. Can't wait for Tuesday to get here!

[Twilight Flyer]

Yeah, I don't think about it too much, to be honest. Life's too short to let yourself get consumed by worry. We do what we can and put the rest in God's hands.

[person]

Some people have a natural immunity to the terminal effects of it. It doesn't matter how healthy you are.

Yeh. This is a facinating topic. Steve did you learn anything you can share about this? That there is a group of white guys out there that cannot contract an HIV or AIDs problem? Is this the same type of thing that you're talking about in the above quote?

[pepe4158]

Some people have a natural immunity to the terminal effects of it. It doesn't matter how healthy you are.

Yeh. This is a facinating topic. Steve did you learn anything you can share about this? That there is a group of white guys out there that cannot contract an HIV or AIDs problem? Is this the same type of thing that you're talking about in the above quote?

Hmmm I actually had a major, in Bio-chemistry when I finished H.S. at 17, back on the late 70's. Reasearch in DNA and cloning has re-wrote almost all my old text books.......all viruses are is mutated DNA (thats why I brought up DNA) they are not living organisms as we define life (such as germs in the bacteria class.)
To put it in simple english compering AIDS to the bird flu and immunities is like comparing apples and oranges......they both spread through a host,however carrying the virus, much differently. (aids method of transmission is body fluids and the living organisms within) not sure of transmission of bird flu but much different I am sure. Aids most resembles other STD's with one exception.
Well I flunked out of my major in the start of my third year so thats my disclaimer......took auto mechanics at the local JC after that ;-p

The bird flu is the same flu that we all get...almost. The flu that we get we all have a natural immunity to it that keeps our tempature controllable with aspirin and other drugs. The bird flu is much more serious in that we have no natural immunity to it and your fever could exceed 105 which to most of us is fatal. If not fatal, you will be brain damaged and other organs will fail.

Those people who have a natural immunity may already have been exposed to some type of virus that matches. The bodies immune system remembers this past experience like a cold you had before and rushes to attack the virus. When you get a flu shot you are basically getting a dose of the 3 most common flu's that are going around except they are completely dead but the immune system says, hey, a new guy on the block, lets remember him and if any of his live friends show up we'll chew them up.

When we were children, at least me. I ate dirt, dust, crap and anything else I could put in my mouth. I may have got sick but your body remembers this. It all just makes your stronger.

We all deceided at work that big cans of Dinty Moore Beef Stew would be the best to stock up on. Plenty of fat and vegetables.

[WildK9]

When we were children, at least me. I ate dirt, dust, crap and anything else I could put in my mouth. I may have got sick but your body remembers this. It all just makes your stronger.

If that's the case, and I believe it is, then call me Ah-nald.

(as in Schwarzenegger) :wink:

[pepe4158]

K...all his concern about bird flu is the fact that it decimated the asian population. I am not sure of the method of transmission with bird flu, but as I remember(could be wrong, is it generally isnt airbone, but is primarily a water contaminent virus.
The reason the bird flu decimated asia so badly is generally agreed that the biggest factor was their 3rd world sense of hygeine. In third worlds, people actually live in close contact with their livestock, like we would a cat or dog. I was on the phone with my wife, in Asia, when she sheireked her pig ate her pasta! The pigs stay in the house for Gods sake....are only pig here is the fat guy on the sofa.
Part of the reason it spread so badly is people were living in close proximity, and eating infected birds(chickens) ....many lives their could have been spared simply by using western standards of hygeine.

[mike3fan]

When we were children, at least me. I ate dirt, dust, crap and anything else I could put in my mouth.

You ate CRAP?....... 8)

It is airborne sort of. You have to get a few droplets from someone else in close proximity. I don't mean spit either. The droplets are so small you can't see them. Bird Flu is really called Avian Influenza. It is HIGHLY contagious and requires a special mask, I think number 30 to prevent getting it.

All righty then, time for some chicken.

[pepe4158]

When we were children, at least me. I ate dirt, dust, crap and anything else I could put in my mouth.

You ate CRAP?....... 8)

Why not? I ate crap for evey employeer I ever worked for!

When we were children, at least me. I ate dirt, dust, crap and anything else I could put in my mouth.

You ate CRAP?....... 8)

Yes, I was married for 18 years.

Sure, when your a baby crawling around you come across what appears to be a Zagnut bar. Oops, mistake.

[Twilight Flyer]

Sure, when your a baby crawling around you come across what appears to be a Zagnut bar. Oops, mistake.

Man, that is sooooo wrong. :?