Beware of sniffling coworkers. Once a doorknob is contaminated with a virus, it’s only a matter of hours before the germs spread to half of the surfaces in a building, finds a new University of Arizona study.
Researchers placed a harmless virus on a doorknob in an office building, then tested light switches, desktops, faucets, coffee pots, and other items for contamination. Within hours, 40 to 60 percent of the objects were crawling with the planted virus.
The same thing would happen with viruses that make you sick, says lead researcher Charles Gerba, Ph.D., a microbiology professor at the University of Arizona. That explains why your coworkers tend to fall like dominoes this time of year.
The good news? The fix is simple.
When just half of the participants in the study used disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers, viral spread was reduced by 99.9 percent, Gerba says. All they had to do was wipe down their desktops once a day and use sanitizers after meetings or breaks. Researchers also put wipes on tables and shared appliances in break rooms for people to use.
“It doesn’t take a lot of effort to really make a difference,” Gerba says. “Every time you use a sanitizer or disinfectant wipe, you break the chain of transferring viruses.”
Most common disinfectants will do the trick, he says. Check the label to make sure it kills cold and flu viruses.
Don’t forget the other part of the equation: Proper hand hygiene can slash in half your chances of getting sick, according to the World Health Organization. Wash before you eat, after you use the restroom, and after touching anything that lots of other people put their hands on, like an elevator button.
Make sure you scrub with soap for 20 seconds and dry with paper towels. Or use a hand sanitizer, which works as well as the sink method, Gerba says.
