When I lived at home, I always washed my hands after petting the cat. My parents' cats live in the kitchen, and don't get to go anywhere else in the house, and my mum had very definite ideas about hygiene. Which I approve of...but have completely abandoned since getting The Cat Daniel, and living in a shoebox with him.

I'm finding the flu conversation interesting, although I can't contribute much. fwiw, in my school we make the kids wash their hands every time they come into the classroom, which boils down to 5 times a day (plus trips to the loo, of course) as part of a campaign to minimise the spread of germs, and try to avoid Avian Flu or Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease, both of which have been problems in Bangkok in recent years. But, no, I don't go wash my hands after sneezing or coughing on them. Although now that you've pointed that out, I'm thinking that a quick squidge of antibacterial gel would be a good plan.

Question for y'all that will produce instant data to further the discussion on transmission of such diseases: When you are washing your hands, how do you make yourself lather away for a sufficient length of time (20-30 seconds)?

Me? I never manage to make it that long, then end up re-washing because I know the first time wasn't good enough.

I had H1N1 badly enough to be stuck in bed for a week and ill for at least another week after that. My partner never caught it. She's one of those Unbreakable types, though. My friend caught it from me after just a short visit, and that was on the day before I was symptomatic.

The literature is rather confusing regarding exactly how H1N1 is presenting, IMHO. I know a number of people who've been very ill for weeks, but no one who's been hospitalized. But then, H1N1 hospitalizations in the UK don't seem to have been in very high numbers at all - [link] - that is, if I'm interpreting the data correctly. (I'm dyspraxic. It's very possible that I've read those charts entirely wrong.)

That is the only accent I can think of from pretty much ANYWHERE that I find absolutely resolutely unsexy.

I know! It's grating. I know people who have worked very hard to lose their Dudley accents. I feel bad for judging a town on the way its citizens speak, but it's hard not to.

When you are washing your hands, how do you make yourself lather away for a sufficient length of time (20-30 seconds)?

The alphabet.

Um, Purelle?

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are great, but at some time after the fifth coughing fit and before the 30th sneeze, the skin on the victim's hands dries completely out and begins to burn. I say this based on personal experience as well as observation of coworkers. Even using lotion after every use does not fully protect from that. And sooner or later, the pain will lead to less than full compliance.

I know -- I had to edit, because I worded it incorrectly.

Oh FINE, make me look like a crazy(er) person.

Question for y'all that will produce instant data to further the discussion on transmission of such diseases: When you are washing your hands, how do you make yourself lather away for a sufficient length of time (20-30 seconds)?

I do. At my current office it means re-starting the automatic faucet a couple of times. It's annoying.

The literature is rather confusing regarding exactly how H1N1 is presenting, IMHO. I know a number of people who've been very ill for weeks, but no one who's been hospitalized. But then, H1N1 hospitalizations in the UK don't seem to have been in very high numbers at all - [link] - that is, if I'm interpreting the data correctly. (I'm dyspraxic. It's very possible that I've read those charts entirely wrong.)

Insert my rant about Americans without/with-crap healthcare skewing our statistics and compromising our ability as a society to fight epidemics HERE.

Is the UK getting a different result because bunches of mid-level sick people DO exist and actually seek medical treatment? Are more Americans becoming critical because they put off/forego medical treatment?

I know -- I had to edit, because I worded it incorrectly.

Oh FINE, make me look like a crazy(er) person.

That's the secret power of the editor. It's a small power, but awesome.

They're also nowhere near as effective as hand-washing. And unless the school district is relatively wealthy, teachers will have to supply their own.

Yeah, Calli, If my first thought is "And?", it's a ker-FAUX-ful and it doesn't matter much to me if it's on a feminist basis or "Ew, Democratic cooties."*(Although I'll try to make up with the feminists cause I like to think we're homegirls.) But, just between you and me, I AM kinda in the tank for him, anyway. It is so *NICE* not to have to parse what a Democrat is thinking that sometimes I find it a little erotic. And unlike my man Keith(though I totally dig a big lexicon) I don't often have to run to my dictionary or think "Okay, which one was Disraeli again?"(Or Ty Cobb, or...) when he speaks. Also, he was once *literally* thrown under a bus as a boy, so I hope he can help that, um, die quickly, as an expression.

Ok, we totally need a doctor to weigh in here. On such short notice, this is the best I could do: [link]