Avoid the Bug by Keeping Hands Clean

Worries about catching colds reach a frenzied crescendo this time of year. It seems that everywhere we go--whether working, shopping, traveling or attending parties--we’re exposed to sneezes, sniffles and coughing.

But researchers say we have more to fear from those we come in close contact with--such as those adorable little germballs known as children (who have an average of a dozen colds per year)--than from someone polluting the mall with their nasal secretions. Although you can catch a cold by inhaling a virus from droplets floating in the air, they say, the majority of colds are spread by direct contact, such as when you touch someone’s skin or a contaminated surface like a doorknob or counter top.

Cold-causing rhinoviruses can stay alive for two or three days on plastic surfaces, though most die off after a few hours.

Spraying the house with disinfectants may make you feel better, but it probably won’t kill all the viruses.

A better infection prevention strategy is to consistently wash your hands after coming in contact with someone who is sick--soap washes the virus off your hands--and avoid touching your eyes and nose, which are lined with a mucous membrane that is an entry point for bugs.

“That’s the easiest way to avoid getting infected,” says Dr. Jack Gwaltney, a professor of medicine and head of the division of epidemiology and virology at the University of Virginia Medical School, who has done extensive research on cold transmission. “Just keep your fingers out of your nose and eyes.”

Linda Marsa