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Stop Spreading Germs from Coughing & Sneezing

Catch a Cold or the Flu? Droplet Spread Can Sicken Dozens of People

Jul 10, 2009 Mary King

A person coughing and sneezing can infect a crowd with the rhinovirus and other germs. How does one stay healthy? Learn how to take precautions against droplet spread.

How does one catch a cold or the flu? It's possible to catch a cold from someone that sneezed from across the room and who did not cover his nose and mouth. It's also likely that two or three more unsuspecting victims will pick up the offender's germs simply by touching a doorknob, coffeepot handle, or a pen the sick person has touched. Each victim touches his own face – eyes, nose, or mouth – before washing his hands, and the germs are planted.

The American Automobile Association's magazine, Going Places (July/August 2009, p. 17), presents the article, "Lurking Germs". The author (unmentioned), cites information from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stating, "According to the [CDC] the main way that illnesses are spread is in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. This is called 'droplet spread.' "

How Does Coughing and Sneezing Spread Germs?

Coughing and sneezing sends million of tiny droplets into the air – unseen, for the most part – but the germs connect with whatever the droplets touch. Some bacteria can live for 2 hours or longer on a surface, so there is no telling what awaits an unsuspecting victim who is not careful. Consider this list of possible places millions of germs can accumulate in a short period of time at home and in public:

Doorknobs and public entry door handles
Break room tables, counters, and appliances
Copiers and FAX machines at work
Public (and home) restroom commode handles and fixtures
Shopping cart handles
Credit card and ATM keypads
Bank counters and pens
Gas pump handles
Church hymnals and offering plates passed person to person
Toys displayed on department store shelves
Arcade Games in malls
Video game controllers in the electronics section where games are sampled
Dressing room door handles
School and work desks, especially those shared by two or more people
Locker room furniture and facilities
Elevator buttons and escalator handles
Pharmacy counters
Doctor's waiting rooms, especially pediatrician waiting rooms (sick children waiting room)
Hotel room surfaces
Money

Even when a sick person uses a tissue there is still a very good chance that some of the germs got on his hands. What happens next? The sick person touches an item or surface – say a grocery store shopping cart handle – and the germs contaminate the handle. The next customer who uses the cart touches the handle and picks up the germs. Chances are, the unsuspecting customer will touch his face before the next opportunity to wash his hands. A day or two later, he begins to experience cold symptoms.

How Can a Person Stop the Spread of Germs and Prevent Illness?

Good health habits can help prevent illnesses from spreading. In the AAA article, the author again cites the CDC, stating, "The CDC says keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Good health habits, like covering your cough and keeping surfaces clean and disinfected, can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses."

Obviously, it's not possible to keep some things disinfected all the time. Additional measures can be taken to prevent catching and spreading contagious cold and flu germs:

Wash hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.
When hand washing is not an option, carry personal-size bottles of hand sanitizer or individual wipe packets to do the job.
Stay home during periods of illness to help prevent the spread of germs
Use tissues to cover the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, and properly dispose of used tissues right away.
Keep hands away from the face to avoid catching a sick person's germs.
Avoid crowds or crowded situations such as elevators when possible, especially during periods of flu outbreak.

Unless one lives like a hermit, the chances of catching a dreaded cold virus or the flu are high. Strict precautions are essential to avoid contact with germs. Beware of touching surfaces common to crowds and wash hands frequently. Germs distributed by droplet spread from a single careless individual can sicken dozens of people, including children and people at high risk for infection. Protection from colds, flu and respiratory viruses is not just an individual cause but must be a collective obligation by the public to prevent widespread infection.

The copyright of the article Stop Spreading Germs from Coughing & Sneezing in General Medicine is owned by Mary King. Permission to republish Stop Spreading Germs from Coughing & Sneezing in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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