Keeping Healthy in the Workplace During Cold and Flu Season
Germs, both bacteria and viruses, increase during the winter months, especially the flu. Employees are interacting with each other and customers, as well as sharing office equipment which increases everyone’s exposure to viruses and bacteria. That’s why it is important to have guidelines and recommendations for your office and employees so that everyone can stay healthy, happy and productive. Follow our tips below to keep your office and staff from getting sick this winter season
1. Wash or Sanitize Your Hands
The most common way to stop the spread of germs and protect yourself, just make sure that you are doing it properly. It sounds silly to adults, but it is important to remember that it takes 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap and water to kills germs. That is the amount of time it takes to sing your ABCs or Happy Birthday twice. How loudly you sing is up to you and/or your co-workers. Hand sanitizer works as well as hand washing in studies and is more convenient in environments where it is more difficult to get to a sink. The important point here is that the sanitizer needs to be at least 60% Alcohol to combat bacteria. Also make sure that you are sneezing into the crook of your elbow (insert vampire impression here) and coughing into a tissue that goes directly into the trash after, followed by washing/sanitizing.
2. Communal Kitchen
You may think the restroom has the highest number of bacteria and viruses on surfaces, but studies show that the kitchen ranks higher than your restrooms. Germs thrive on handles of microwave, refrigerator and faucets. Make sure that these surfaces are getting wiped down routinely with antimicrobial cleaners, sprays or wipes. If there is a sponge in the sink – Throw It Out! Bacteria (and fungus) love warm wet environments where they can truly thrive and multiply. We recommend washing lunch dishes at home, if possible, or using a disposable cleaning cloth to wash your dishes. Also, keep hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes visible in common areas to promote their use in communal spaces/equipment.
3. Desk/Work Spaces
Desks, phones and keyboards are also major sources of germs that lead to illness. In fact, employees who commonly eat at their desks show higher levels of bacterial contamination of their desk equipment when compared to employees who don’t eat at their desk (American Journal of Infection Control, 2011). We recommend that you wipe down your workspace – especially the telephone, keyboard and desktop - routinely with antimicrobial wipes/cleaners. This could even be done daily to prevent infection and spread of germs.
4. Stay Home When Ill
Feeling under the weather? Stay home and prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria to your employees/co-workers. If an employee/co-worker is sick at work, please clean hands and surfaces frequently and keep your distance as much as possible. While there is nothing you can do to completely prevent illness, you can always try your best.
5. Get A Flu Shot
The flu affects millions of people each year. While many are able to get through the infection with mild to moderate symptoms, some people are severely affected. Some are hospitalized and thousands of people are still dying every year from the flu (61,000 people per the CDC in the 2018-2019 flu season). Getting the flu vaccine is one way that you can try to protect yourself this flu season. The vaccine changes yearly so it is recommended to get the flu vaccine annually.
During the holidays and winter months, people tend to spend more time inside with larger family and friend groups. It is best to take all the precautions you can when it comes to maintaining your health and that of your business.
You are welcome to call Dr. Gero at Aspire Direct Primary Care with any questions about these recommendations. We hope you have a happy and healthy 2020!
