I suggest that, for our own safety, we all carry a box full of surgical gloves at all times.
WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER YOU PUMP YOUR GAS
By Jerry Reynolds
The Car Pro Weekly
October 27, 2011
Warning: This story might make your skin crawl.
A new study has found that the gas pump is the germiest, filthiest thing we touch in everyday life.
That's according to Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona -- and he should know. A microbiologist, he's known by the nickname "Dr. Germ."
In research results released Tuesday, Gerba found that 71% of gas pump handles and 68% of corner mailbox handles are "highly contaminated" with the kinds of germs most associated with a high risk of illness. The study says that 41% of ATM buttons and 43% of escalator rails are similarly teeming with germs.
Other highly contaminated places that many people probably never considered before, and now might fear using, are parking meters and kiosks, about 40% of which are fouled by germs. Crosswalk buttons and vending machines were tied at 35%.
So what are we supposed to do? Apparently, it's all about "hand hygiene" – washing your hands throughout the day -- and wiping down your work station with a cleaning product (naturally) because a desktop, keyboard and computer mouse can be a breeding ground for germs, say the folks at Kimberly-Clark.
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