A Flu-Season Request

[ellone]

Hand sanitizers are over used and do not kill viruses. They can make your skin break down actually increasing the chance of a bacteria or virus entering.

Is that only for alcohol based ones like Purel?

We only use a natural one called Clean well. The main sanitizer in it is thymus vulgaris oil (thyme).

 

[maxiesmom]

OP-- I agree with your humble request, and sometimes I wish Disney would print such a lovely request and stick it in with their park maps!!

People can hardly bother to read all of the info in the park maps now. I don't hold much hope they would read a request about how to sneeze, and then follow it.

 

[xipotec]

Is that only for alcohol based ones like Purel?

We only use a natural one called Clean well. The main sanitizer in it is thymus vulgaris oil (thyme).

Oil will not kill a virus and most bacteria that are serious will not be affected either.
Hand sanitizers in general were a device to sell to people who got germaphobic after the H1N1 scare.

Soap and hot water is much much more effective.

Hand sanitizer will not killl yeast or mold or spores either...

And BTW germs do not make your immune system stronger. Just more knowledgable.

Its a fallacy that letting yourself get sick makes you healthier. Its also a fallacy that antibiotics are needed for most common colds or bronchitis or sinusitis. Almost all common illness self resolves in 10-14 days, since most people seek out a treatment by day 4-6 it seems like whatever they do works.... And its just an amazing coincidence due to lack of patience.

 

[AmyB2006]

Oil will not kill a virus and most bacteria that are serious will not be affected either.
Hand sanitizers in general were a device to sell to people who got germaphobic after the H1N1 scare.

Soap and hot water is much much more effective.

Hand sanitizer will not killl yeast or mold or spores either...

And BTW germs do not make your immune system stronger. Just more knowledgable.

Its a fallacy that letting yourself get sick makes you healthier. Its also a fallacy that antibiotics are needed for most common colds or bronchitis or sinusitis. Almost all common illness self resolves in 10-14 days, since most people seek out a treatment by day 4-6 it seems like whatever they do works.... And its just an amazing coincidence due to lack of patience.

Semantics.

But ITA with everything else you said. I love when I see people hand sanitizing pretty much their entire body. LOL Makes me laugh.

I was in a Microbiology class with a girl who always used hand sanitizer. It seemed like every 30 minutes.

We did an experiment one day where you swabbed your hand then placed the swab in a petri dish to transfer whatever was on your hand into the dish.

2 days later when we came back to class we got our dishes out. Most of us had normal bacteria that had grown, nothing crazy.

Hers.... it was black in some spots, was growing something I can't even describe, and had produced some kind of liquid that was collecting in the dish. LOL She was so embarrassed she just left it there and didn't take it. The teacher goes, "I don't blame whoever's dish that one is for leaving it there". LOL

He then went on to describe basically that hand sanitizers are so overused, and that they kill the good bacteria on your hands that are supposed to be there to fend off any bad bacteria or things that your hands come in contact with. And that her dish was a classic example of why you shouldn't use hand sanitizer.

 

[jannylynn]

Oil will not kill a virus and most bacteria that are serious will not be affected either.
Hand sanitizers in general were a device to sell to people who got germaphobic after the H1N1 scare.

Soap and hot water is much much more effective.

Hand sanitizer will not killl yeast or mold or spores either...

And BTW germs do not make your immune system stronger. Just more knowledgable.

Its a fallacy that letting yourself get sick makes you healthier. Its also a fallacy that antibiotics are needed for most common colds or bronchitis or sinusitis. Almost all common illness self resolves in 10-14 days, since most people seek out a treatment by day 4-6 it seems like whatever they do works.... And its just an amazing coincidence due to lack of patience.

Except hand sanitizer existed long before the H1N1 scare.

The active ingredient is isopropyl alcohol. I don't agree that it doesn't kill germs. I'm not a scientist so I don't know about mold or fungus spores but I don't think I've caught something related to that either. But I don't believe over use is helpful either since hand washing does the trick. In a pinch hand sanitizer has it's place. And I can think of a few times on our last trip, I went ahead and whipped it out and made my kids use it. Laugh all you want!

 

[luvthemouse71]

FWIW, I don't think the OP's post was overly dramatic or unreasonable. All that stuff is basic human courtesy and hygiene and much of it is stuff they teach in pre-school or kindergarten. Cover your mouth when you sneeze, wash your hands. Not hard..

I am not a germaphobe either. I don't disinfect my hotel room completely before use etc. But, getting the cold or flu isn't fun, especially if you're asthmatic, on chemotherapy, or have other health conditions.

And, I'll add a further request, stop spitting. It makes you look like trash. You would not believe the number of men( and women- classy!) that I see do this.

 

[xipotec]

Semantics.

But ITA with everything else you said. I love when I see people hand sanitizing pretty much their entire body. LOL Makes me laugh.

I was in a Microbiology class with a girl who always used hand sanitizer. It seemed like every 30 minutes.

We did an experiment one day where you swabbed your hand then placed the swab in a petri dish to transfer whatever was on your hand into the dish.

2 days later when we came back to class we got our dishes out. Most of us had normal bacteria that had grown, nothing crazy.

Hers.... it was black in some spots, was growing something I can't even describe, and had produced some kind of liquid that was collecting in the dish. LOL She was so embarrassed she just left it there and didn't take it. The teacher goes, "I don't blame whoever's dish that one is for leaving it there". LOL

He then went on to describe basically that hand sanitizers are so overused, and that they kill the good bacteria on your hands that are supposed to be there to fend off any bad bacteria or things that your hands come in contact with. And that her dish was a classic example of why you shouldn't use hand sanitizer.

Hahaha not really semantics.....

Your immune system can be more knowledgeable, but if its not healthy enough to mount a response , you still get sick and/or die....

If all we needed was the immune knowledge then the older we get the more .
Healthy we would be. But obviously thats not the case.....

Too bad..... I could use a boost!

As far as hand sanitizers they rose over 500% in sales the H1N1 year , we actually ran out of supplies at the start of school. They have there place in "a pinch" but they do not compare to hand washing.....

BTW , I am a medical professional..... I love helping dispell the common misconceptions that cost people money and time, and I despise seeing people put faith in unproven and bad medicines

 

[BayouMickey]

And BTW germs do not make your immune system stronger. Just more knowledgable.

Nobody said anything about stronger. But doing all that stuff will weaken it. The body forgets how to fight the stuff it used to and doesn't know how to fight anything new..

 

[ols386]

I don't use hand-sanitier at WDW, but I do try to wash my hands with soap and water as often as I can, particularly before I handle food and/or drinks.

 

[AJ Crowley]

Nobody said anything about stronger. But doing all that stuff will weaken it. The body forgets how to fight the stuff it used to and doesn't know how to fight anything new..

That's not exactly true in adults. In children yes you want them exposed, and vaccinated for as much as possible. The immune system has memory B cells. When exposed to a pathogen the B cells with secret antibodies to fight these pathogens. A good example is the common cold. Once your body encounters the virus that causes the common cold it will make B cells that will produce the antibodies to fight the common cold. They won't produce those antibodies when the virus is not present, but when that virus shows up again they will start producing antibodies to fight it. In an adult your immune system does not forget these things unless you've been treated with certain chemo, or are immune suppressed

As an adult the best way to avoid getting sick is to avoid exposure. Like was said before correctly washing your hands. If you can't wash your hands use hand sanitizer, but like was also said it is only about 60% as effective as washing hands. Avoid touching your face, mouth, eyes.

 

[goofy4tink]

1. Cough/sneeze into the crook of your arm
2. Get plenty of sleep
3. Hydrate...with water
4. Wash hands thoroughly and often with soap and water
5. Avoid touching those handrails in the parks
6. Keep your hands away from hour face
7. Take a multi vitamin every day
8. Get a flu shot

These are the things I do...at home and when traveling. I have yet to get sick at WDW....and I go at all times of year. You just can't count on others to do what needs to be done in order for you to stay healthy. The worst thing? Those parents that take sick kids into the parks! They figure they have paid a ton of money and gosh darn it, they aren't staying in their resort room with a sick child. So medicate the kid and off they go! Off to infect everyone else they come in contact with.

 

[AJ Crowley]

1. Cough/sneeze into the crook of your arm
2. Get plenty of sleep
3. Hydrate...with water
4. Wash hands thoroughly and often with soap and water
5. Avoid touching those handrails in the parks
6. Keep your hands away from hour face
7. Take a multi vitamin every day
8. Get a flu shot

These are the things I do...at home and when traveling. I have yet to get sick at WDW....and I go at all times of year. You just can't count on others to do what needs to be done in order for you to stay healthy. The worst thing? Those parents that take sick kids into the parks! They figure they have paid a ton of money and gosh darn it, they aren't staying in their resort room with a sick child. So medicate the kid and off they go! Off to infect everyone else they come in contact with.

^^^^^^right there is everything one should do^^^^^^

Please unless you are allergic to eggs get a flu shot! This anti vaccine Internet pseudo science is crazy.

Sorry I'll get off my soapbox now.

Edit: I should add that most research shows people with egg allergies tolerate flu vaccines just fine.

 

[BayouMickey]

^^^^^^right there is everything one should do^^^^^^

Please unless you are allergic to eggs get a flu shot! This anti vaccine Internet pseudo science is crazy.

Sorry I'll get off my soapbox now.

Edit: I should add that most research shows people with egg allergies tolerate flu vaccines just fine.

No more crazier than relying on a fly by night vaccine.. that flu shot you got this year won't work next year flu viruses evolve. So youd have to get a new vaccine every year.. I never had a flu shot.. I haven't had the flu in 8 years.. and that shot isnt even 100% effective. Anew strand come along this year and that shot was for naught

 

[2012DisneyWorldBride]

We will always get a flu shot from now on ever since me and DH spent 11 days and nights with an awful flu. It was terrible. I understand the flu shot won't protect from every strain but hey if it helps my odds of never getting that awful flu again... I'm glad we did it.

 

[goofy4tink]

No more crazier than relying on a fly by night vaccine.. that flu shot you got this year won't work next year flu viruses evolve. So youd have to get a new vaccine every year.. I never had a flu shot.. I haven't had the flu in 8 years.. and that shot isnt even 100% effective. Anew strand come along this year and that shot was for naught

I understand that each years vaccine doesn't cover every strain out there. Truly, I get it. But I still get that flu shot every fall. Just in case. Too many people I know have t gotten a flu shot, and then get the flu! I've had the flu....anything I can do to avoid getting it again is okay with me.
I'm thrilled you haven't had the flu in eight years. That's terrific. But I still feel its beneficial, for me, to get that flu shot. My choice. Everyone needs to decide what works for them, as well as for their family. 'Fly by night vaccine'? Really now...that's a bit out there, don't you think?

 

[hunterjumperluv]

Edit: I should add that most research shows people with egg allergies tolerate flu vaccines just fine.

Not to take this in a different direction, but as someone with an egg white allergy, I got horribly horribly ill after getting a flu shot last year. So, be safe , and if you do have an allergy, follow your doctors recommendation on a flu shot. Having a 104 degree fever from the reaction again doesn't sound worth it to me, I'll take my chances with the flu

 

[BenbowInn]

No more crazier than relying on a fly by night vaccine.. that flu shot you got this year won't work next year flu viruses evolve. So youd have to get a new vaccine every year.. I never had a flu shot.. I haven't had the flu in 8 years.. and that shot isnt even 100% effective. Anew strand come along this year and that shot was for naught

I agree. We never get the flu shot and have never gotten the flu. Eat tons of fruits and vegetables and lay off the SAD (standard american diet) fare and you will have an immune system that can more than likely fight off the flu virus on its own. Our diet is the greatest impact on our immune system. We have people eating garbage everyday and wonder why they get sick all the time.

Our son is 5 and has had two colds in his life. That's it. He's not some super human, he just had an incredible immune system because he eats the complete opposite that most kids do. Even conventional medicine says our diet and lifestyle has the biggest impact on our health than anything else.

 

[mefordis]

What is this flu everyone speaks of? Never had it, nor has my family. I mean not even my extended family!

Do you vomit during the flu? Or is it just a cold with a bad fever and aches?

 

[ZehnJahren]

What is this flu everyone speaks of? Never had it, nor has my family. I mean not even my extended family!

Do you vomit during the flu? Or is it just a cold with a bad fever and aches?

When I think of the flu, I think of bad fever, aches, chills, chest congestion, headache, and exhaustion.

I know some DO vomit when they have the flu; I have had it several times and not had that wonderful side effect.

I am getting the nasal mist this year for the first time; being needle-phobic has stopped me in the past, but I'd like to be protected against the most virulent strains. Of course, knowing my luck I'll get whatever I'm not protected against!

 

[720L]

Better yet. Don't sneeze into your hand. Use your upper arm. Or a tissue and dispose it after using. And wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands.

This!!