Winter colds, winter gastroenteritis, and winter flu

The leaves are almost all fallen. Holiday music comes from the elevator speakers. Winter is nigh and this also means that we face our toughest season for viral infections. Why in the winter? The experts think that this is because people are just jammed in together more than in spring, summer, and fall and people do easily exchange germs.

Certainly, germs can be spread by coughing and sneezing but the infectious disease subspecialists stress washing one's hands as the best defense and the best means of not infecting others. One expert suggests using soap and water for the length of time to sing two verses of "Happy Birthday", although, for the sanity of your family and co-workers, you might want to alternate with songs of roughly the same length or just sing mentally. Whenever washing up is not convenient, hand sanitizers are a good second option.

When one does cough or sneeze, the experts say to do so into one's elbow rather than into one's hands or by spraying the germs unimpeded throughout the room.

The Holiday Season is busy, stressful, and (I hope for all the eDoc clients) personally and spiritually fulfilling. Wash frequently to keep the germs at bay that would love nothing more than to set up shop inside you for several miserable days.