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chris.packham		#1 Posted : 17 April 2012 08:12:03(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		The following is from the April issue of Health and Safety Matters (page 34) "Team GB's chief medical officer, Ian McCurdie, has advised athletes to avoid shaking hands with rivals at this summer's game4s in case they contract bugs." I wonder what our foreign visitors will make of that! Apparently they are all going to be issued with personal hand sanitisers. So next time I meet you please do not be surprised if I get my sanitiser out before I shake your hand! Chris
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m		#2 Posted : 17 April 2012 08:55:17(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		What about blood and sweat splashes from the boxers?
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safetyamateur		#3 Posted : 17 April 2012 09:32:39(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		m wrote: What about blood and sweat splashes from the boxers? I think most of them wear briefs, m.
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Ian.Blenkharn		#4 Posted : 17 April 2012 09:44:38(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Chris.Packham wrote: Apparently they are all going to be issued with personal hand sanitisers. So next time I meet you please do not be surprised if I get my sanitiser out before I shake your hand! Chris In the way of that hoary old joke about us microbiologists who wash their hands *before* going to the toilet...... ....it would, in this case and if care for your health, be prudent to sanitize your hands AFTER shaking hands, not before!
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chris.packham		#5 Posted : 17 April 2012 09:49:48(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Ian I entirely agree. I was only reflecting what was written in the article I quoted. However, consider how many thousands of hands are shaken each day. I would love to know the percentage of people who every day develop an infection through shaking someone's hand. I suspect the figure would be extremely small. If it were so risky, surely our royal family, who shake hundreds of hands in the course of their normal work, would be permanently infected.
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NLivesey		#6 Posted : 17 April 2012 10:17:57(UTC)
Rank: Forum user		Chris.Packham wrote: Ian I entirely agree. I was only reflecting what was written in the article I quoted. However, consider how many thousands of hands are shaken each day. I would love to know the percentage of people who every day develop an infection through shaking someone's hand. I suspect the figure would be extremely small. If it were so risky, surely our royal family, who shake hundreds of hands in the course of their normal work, would be permanently infected. Ah, issued with gloves though, Royal PPE...
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smitch		#7 Posted : 17 April 2012 10:29:24(UTC)
Rank: Forum user		What about alternative greetings for other cultures, such as the double or triple cheek kiss? Even if only touching cheeks, is it a good idea to then apply hand sanitiser to the face ;-)
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chris.packham		#8 Posted : 17 April 2012 11:07:53(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Should I ensure that my visiting cards have some form of anti-microbial treatment so that when I hand you one I don't pass on bacteria?
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walker		#9 Posted : 17 April 2012 12:11:56(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Ian.Blenkharn wrote: [In the way of that hoary old joke about us microbiologists who wash their hands *before* going to the toilet...... The very same thought went through my mind ;-)
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pete48		#10 Posted : 17 April 2012 12:41:55(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Insanitation or insanity? I wash my hands of the whole affair :-) p48
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Safety Smurf		#11 Posted : 17 April 2012 13:03:16(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		I didn't think 'dirty' jokes were allowed on this forum? ;-)
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jay		#12 Posted : 17 April 2012 13:09:31(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Clarification at:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/17268553
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walker		#13 Posted : 17 April 2012 13:27:41(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Our good friend common sense rears his head again! Technically the CMO was spot on. I bet now he wishes he said - "just wash your hands more frequently". When Swine flu was "all the rage" our company organised several headless chickens meetings about control. I said the best thing we can do is wash our hands more frequently - I was chastisied for being flippant. Even though I was the only one in the room with any science background, let alone that it was 10 years as a medical microbiologist.
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A Kurdziel		#14 Posted : 17 April 2012 13:56:25(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		Ah Walker You made the mistake as being the only expert in a room full of amateurs. Just saying we should simply apply the existing policy that you drafted years ago is not good enough. There must be running around, having meetings, trying puff up you own importance, with a slight sense of panic. It’s what management is about.
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jay		#15 Posted : 17 April 2012 15:02:52(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		The "namaste" mode of greeting does not involve shaking hands, but would be alien to our own culture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste
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walker		#16 Posted : 17 April 2012 16:11:59(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user		jay wrote: The "namaste" mode of greeting does not involve shaking hands, but would be alien to our own culture. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namaste I'd like to see that adopted. Shaking hands is basically saying "I've not got a dagger to run you through -look here is me hand". And as for kissing & hugging -Yuk! I kiss my wife and kids and would like everyone else to stay at arms length, thanks very much!
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