Missing Messages in Infection Prevention

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Influenza, or the flu, is on the rise this time of year. That’s because the virus spreads easily when people are indoors in close contact and when the air is less humid and colder. So, it makes sense that International Infection Prevention Week takes place in October. But what doesn’t make sense is the absence of an important message.

Public health officials offer a standard list of best practices to reduce the risk of infections. Hand hygiene is top of the list. It’s a fact that many people don’t wash their hands after using the toilet. But they will clutch their mobile phones, which never get washed, before during and after trips to the toilet. Hands and phones are both common vehicles for the transmission of microorganisms from one person to another.

Use of cleaners and disinfectants is another recommendation. It's been said that “cleanliness is next to godliness,” and that's true to a point. But don't forget that valuable life lessons come from embracing the messiness and imperfections of our human experience.

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