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? :lol: :lol:

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.