2012 should be the year of “germ awareness”. The flu season is typically the last two months of the year and the first two months of the year. For 2012, make an effort to avoid harmful germs such as the flu virus and other illness causing bacteria often found in our workplace and in our schools. The best way to avoid germs is to first understand how germs are spread and then figure out a plan on what you can do to help lower your risk of coming into contact with some of these germs.

How Germs are Spread

Germs are spread a number of ways, but the most known way germs are spread is through direct contact with an infected area. If a person has an illness, such as the flu, and coughs into her hands and then touches a door knob, then anyone coming behind that person and touches the door knob is susceptible to becoming ill. That healthy person increases their chances of becoming sick if he touches his eyes, nose or mouth after touching the infected door knob.

Another way germs are spread is through droplets in the air from someone coughing or sneezing and not covering their mouths. When a sick person coughs or sneezes, they can actually pass germs to another person up to 6 feet away. Read the rest of this entry »