Airborne illness are all around us. You can get sick from being in your home all day long, even if you think it’s clean! One area that is of deep concern is our offices. Airborne illnesses are ramped in public places, like offices. People come into work all the time carrying germs and infections diseases. If someone is sick and they live in the same home with them, they can easily spread this airborne illness to everyone in the office. How can you cut down on the number of airborne illnesses in the office? Here are some tips that may help:
Tip # 1 – Stay Away!
People in the office that are infected with the flu or a head cold can easily touch doorknobs and leave the bacteria on the handle; this will spread to the next person that touches it. They can cough or sneeze and the airborne illness can fly 50 feet away from that person and infect another person. To combat airborne illnesses in the office, encourage your sick employees to stay away from the office. If they insist on coming into the office, make sure they wear a mask until the threat of spreading the virus is gone.
Tip # 2 – Boost the Vitamins
Have everyone in your office take more vitamin C to prevent them from getting sick during cold and flu season. Encourage employees to eat more fruits during cold and flu season because they help to fight of the viruses. Vegetables also contain natural antibiotics that can strengthen the immune system and help to keep your employees healthy.
Tip # 3 – Neat Freak
Make sure you disinfect everything on a daily basis so you can prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Think about how many people touch the doorknobs to your office and to the building each day. If one of these individuals didn’t properly wash their hands after they used the restroom, they can spread bacteria to everyone else that touches the door. Think about it this way, would you want to shake hands with a person that just coughed or sneezed into their hand? If you are like most people, you will opt for a nod to acknowledge this person until they wash their hands.
There is nothing wrong with being a neat freak, it should be encouraged in the workplace because it is the only thing that can help to reduce the spread of diseases. Give each of your employees their own disinfectant wipes they can use to keep their offices clean. Make sure your janitorial staff spends extra time cleaning the doorknobs to the office and extra time sanitizing areas that are commonly touched.
Tip # 4 – Time to immunize
Employers can reduce the spread of airborne illnesses by requiring their employees to get vaccinated and stay up-to-date with their immunizations. Getting a flu shot helps to protect you from getting the flu bug that is in the air during the fall and winter months. Every employee should get a flu shot each year unless they are told otherwise by their doctor.
There are multiple airborne illnesses to watch out for, the common cold is just one of them, here are a few others you need to be concerned about:
- Anthrax
- Chickenpox
- Influenza
- Smallpox
- Tuberculosis
What makes airborne viruses so dangerous is that they are invisible. If they were brightly colored clouds of dust, you could easily walk away from them or hold your breath so you don’t suck them into your lungs. Since it’s not that easy, the only thing you can do is take proper care of your body and practice proper hand-washing and sanitation procedures.