December 22, 2022 general

Most of the government recommendations (and mandates) that promised to prevent the spread of covid-19 did not do that and had a downside. For example, the shutdowns caused economic disaster for many, and we now know that school closings caused great emotional and educational harm to kids. As we have learned on Healthy by Nature show (from top experts who cite the government’s own data and scientific studies) the covid vaccines caused a shocking number of deaths and long term damage. There is now worldwide pressure to pull them off the market. Even masks were not harmless. Aside from the developmental delays children experienced because they couldn’t interpret communications normally, masks reduce the amount of oxygen the wearer breathes and the immune system needs oxygen. And, as it turns out, a Danish study of mask wearing failed to show statistically significant benefit.

Except for the possibility of dry hands, hand washing seems to have no ill effects. (Parents should be careful to keep alcohol-based hand sanitizers out of reach of little ones because they are poisonous if consumed…read more.) The respiratory viruses like covid and the flu are spread mainly through aerosol droplets carried through the air. So, the hysteria about sanitizing everything in sight was excessive. That said, someone who is infected and carrying virus on their hands could leave a trail of contamination on doorknobs, handrails and elevator buttons. If you were to touch them soon while the virus was still active, and then put your fingers on food, or your face or worst of all, pick your nose, it is at least theoretically possible to become ill.

I recall from cruises that Bill and I have taken, the cruise line bugged us incessantly about handwashing because that helps control the spread of gastrointestinal illnesses such as the Norovirus. We gladly wash our hands on a ship at any opportunity because vomiting and diarrhea kind of takes the fun out of traveling.

So, I say that if it might help and can’t hurt, why not keep our hands clean?  Anyway, just seems relatively civilized. Below is a list of when to wash up that I copied from the CDC page on handwashing. Some of them probably go without saying. [Italic text in square brackets is my addition not CDC.]

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before and after eating food [before seems more important.]
• Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea [no kidding!]
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet [I used to think, “Hey, I aim carefully, so is that really necessary?” But now I know the issue is not ME, it is the bozos who came before me and touched stuff.]
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet. [sounds about right]
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage [or maybe just don’t touch garbage?]