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Fearing swine flu? How clean is your workplace?

Swine flu is in the news again today, with the Gazette's Associated Press report that 11 more Wisconsinites died of the H1N1 virus last week.

It reminds me that after we went to press early Sunday morning, Nov. 8, our maintenance staff was busy trying to wipe out germs in our downtown offices.

They did so with a disinfectant we bought from a sales vendor. Twelve cans of energized sterilizing alcohol were set up to mist various rooms. We were told to take home coffee cups and any eating utensils beforehand.

It’s not that we were dealing with a widespread swine flu outbreak or anything; instead, General Manager Dave Johnson told me Wednesday that the project was precautionary.

I was intrigued by information about avoiding colds and flu at work in our “Spry” section, an insert in Monday’s Gazette. Dr. Charles Gerba of the University of Arizona advises sick workers not to “tough it out” and show up but instead take a sick day to prevent spreading illnesses.

Among other tips:

--Use disinfecting wipes at least weekly on phones, desktops, filing cabinet handles and computer keyboards.

--Routinely use these wipes also on appliance handles, door knobs and light switches in the break room.

--Wash that coffee mug with hot, soapy water daily.

--Purses, briefcases and backpacks become walking “bag-teria,” so regularly wipe these with alcohol—which won’t harm leather—and store them in cabinets away from where you eat.

Here was the most interesting tip: Don’t eat at your desk. Dr. Gerba’s research shows that the average desktop has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Use a paper towel as a placemat when eating in the lunchroom.

I mentioned this desktop dilemma in my conversation with Dave Johnson.

“Yes,” he said, “but if someone was holding a gun to my head and ordering me to lick my desktop or a toilet, I’d go for the desktop.”

Can’t say as I disagree.

Greg Peck