Peter Aitken wrote:
> AARRGGHH!! The cooties are going to get you!

Um, yes they are - cooties are responsible for 100% of communicable
diseases in humans.

>Those same people pick up items
> from the shelves and put them back - are you going to disinfect every
item
> you buy?

Nope, but I pick items that appear not to have been opened or tampered
with.

>How about the pen they give you to sign your receipt at the
> register.

Use my own pen.

>AARRGGHH, cooties! Ot the cash in your wallet - who knows what
> filthy people have handled that?

We get rid of filthy bills ASAP and request new ones from the bank when
we withdrawl cash.

>And when you give your credit card to
> someone at the store - god only knows which fatal lethal germs they
have on
> their hands. BOIL THE CREDIT CARD!

Don't use credit cards.

> And when you travel by air, who knows
> what plague-infested poeple handle your luggage, so you should
certainly
> irradiate the suitcase handles before you touch them.

Nope, a simple sanitary wipe does the trick.

>Shake hands with
> someone? God forbid - it might kill you!

Avoid it at all costs.

>Push an elevator button - call the
> morgue!

Let someone else do it for us.

>
> I hope you get my point. The world is full of germs and once in a
while they
> make you sick.

Once in a while, they make people die, too.

>Fussing about shopping cart handles makes no difference and
> wastes your time and energy.

Maybe your's but not mine. Shopping cart handles are probably one of
the biggest sources of third-party transmission of disease/sickness
that one could encounter in society. You have:

Saliva, snot and other secretia from children and adults.
Feces and urine from those who do not know how to wash their hands
after toileting.
Possibly blood and/or pus from humans.
Blood and feces from meat animals.
Manure from mushrooms and organic produce.
Pesticide residues from produce.
Avian feces from the carts being left outside.
The list goes on and on...


> If you want to waste it that is your business,
> but do not be surprised when more knowledgeable people find it silly.

I was a molecular biologist for years and have extensive training in
microbiology including but not limited to invertebrate zoology, soil
microbiology and endemic micro. Limiting one's exposure is not only
wise, it could be the difference between life or death. I'll take my
exposure in ways I can't control, TYVM. But for things I *can* do
something about, I do.

-L.