I'm grossed out!

[wannaliveinmayberry]

God help me, if I get a cold I will know why...............
I work as a bank teller and dread this time of year. I cannot count the number of times some sick slob comes to my window coughing or making some snot-laden noises and the first thing out of their infested pie hole is "I've been so siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccccckkkkkkkkk!"
My first thought? "Get the F&$# away from me then, you swine!"
Pisses me off so much. Oh great, I can't wait to start handling your filthy f-in' money and transactions too. A-holes! My sleep depends on an unobstructed airway (sleep disorder), and if my nose is stuffed, I am screwed. Inconsiderate bastards. I know I am more sensitive about it than others, but people are pigs.
Sooooooo.......hubby and I just stopped at the local soft-serve ice cream place for treats tonight. The person who gave me my cone started yapping with the most nasty, nasally, snotty sounding cold. Then she says to the other person something about a "sinus infection". I just stood there thinking "Yeah sure, you came to work with a cold and you're trying to say it's a sinus infection so the customers don't start bitching." My husband kept saying "it's fine, it's fine, I wouldn't be afraid." I wanted to dump it on the ground. If I heard her before I ordered, I would have skipped it. I stupidly ate it, and am just waiting for the symptoms now. I sure hope I am wrong.
Usually it's the piggy customers that gross me out, but tonight I am kinda pissed off that this douchebag is serving ice cream to everyone and the bitch was sick!

[Andara Bledin]

If you work at a bank (or any place that handles paper money, really), you should have a supply of that antibacterial hand lotion stuff that people use to kill the stuff on their hands when they can't go and wash them.

My work doesn't deal with money at all, but we have a lot of really old dusty parts, so we get it if we want it.

As for the shop worker, there's a good chance it is a sinus infection. I get them fairly often, and they are evil and awful and make people think I'm sick when it's just my sinuses over-reacting to nothing much as usual. But it's still gross to hear that from a food shop worker.

^-.-^

[Stryker One]

Uhm...

What about latex gloves and face masks?

[EricKei]

Gloves, yeah, tho I'm sure people would take that as some sort of personal affront (then again, ANY money its plenty dirty, it doesn't matter if it's given to you by a dainty little old lady wearing silk gloves)...And, AFAIK, paper masks are fairly ineffective in stopping such things (I believe it's been stated here that they do two things for SARS and H1N1 particles: Jack and Squat); they're mainly intended for dust, unless I'm mistaken.

[rerant]

I did a placement for school at a day program for youth with developmental disabilities, some of whom had hygiene problems.
to teach everyone about proper hand washing, two of the nursing students who were also on placement there brought in a blacklight that, with the help of a certain gel, showed us the germs on our skin.
They showed us the germs on our hands under the light (I had a cold at the time so I was especially gross), went through the explanation on how to most effectively wash our hands then sent us off to do so.

After washing our hands we put them under the light again and most of us showed a significant difference in how many germs were on us.
One of the nursing students then told us she only used hand sanitizer then showed us her hands.
No change at all.

They then explained that hand sanitizer is significantly less effective than simple hand washing.

After that I don't bother with the skin-drying stuff.
Better off with just some anti-microbial soap and water.

[LillFilly]

I wonder if the antibacterial gel left a residue that showed under the blacklight, making it look like her hands were still dirty? Hmmm. My problem is if I wash my hands too much they dry-out; and skin lotion is greasy.

[Seshat]

And, AFAIK, paper masks are fairly ineffective in stopping such things (I believe it's been stated here that they do two things for SARS and H1N1 particles: Jack and Squat); they're mainly intended for dust, unless I'm mistaken.

Paper (or cloth) masks can greatly help with allergens, depending on what you're allergic to.

They also do a fantastic job of reducing the airborne particulates a person breathes out.

[poofy_puff]

problem is if I wash my hands too much they dry-out; and skin lotion is greasy.

Switch to a non-greasy brand. There are TONS of them that are not greasy. Corn-husker's Lotion is one such product. Look for ones that don't list "mineral oil" as one of the main ingredients.

Alcohol-based hand-sanitizers dry out your skin more than soap and water does.

Another thing that works (doesn't have to say "antimicrobial" on it are those moist towelettes like the ones you get at lobster or BBQ restaurants. You can buy those in any drugstore like CVS or Walgreens. I have also purchased them from BLDG #19.

[rerant]

I wonder if the antibacterial gel left a residue that showed under the blacklight, making it look like her hands were still dirty? Hmmm.

I highly doubt they were duping us.

[Soulstealer]

I try looking for the non antibacterial soap. I keep hearing stuff about viruses and bacteria evolving to be resistant to medicine.

[otakuneko]

They then explained that hand sanitizer is significantly less effective than simple hand washing.

I've been relying on the stuff for over a year now, since the sink in my bathroom doesn't work properly. (low flow, due either to the leaky faucet in the kitchen eating up the water pressure or maybe I just didn't get the outside valve (a PITA to get to) turned all the way open)

[PepperElf]

hand sanitizer yes!

and lotion too cos if you have to sanitize between customers... you're going to dry your skin out quickly.

perhaps you should have a bottle on the other side of the counter too... for the customers

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

Hand sanitizer leaves residue that is a perfect medium for bacteria to thrive in.

Hand-washing wins again.

[Anakah]

I hate that. I had some guy who completely coughed on my face today. I was so angry.

[Seshat]

I try looking for the non antibacterial soap. I keep hearing stuff about viruses and bacteria evolving to be resistant to medicine.

They are, and they're a HUGE problem. Here's some sites just for tuberculosis.

http://esciencenews.com/dictionary/r...t.tuberculosis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensi...t_tuberculosis

http://www.who.int/tb/publications/f.../en/index.html

In my glance around the web, I confirmed that both MDR (multiply drug resistant) and XDR (extensively drug resistant) TB is present in both the USA and Australia. Probably Europe as well. They're worse in the poorer countries, but we're not immune.

I'll state up front that I don't know if alcohol wipes affect TB or drug resistance in general - but I'm not eager to take that chance. I prefer removing bacteria havens to trying to fight the tide.