Health Experts Warn Filipino Moms Against Unexpected Germ Hotspots

Germs are everywhere and are dangerous. Daily, we are greatly exposed to these harmful, microscopic, and often dangerous elements exposing families to great risks especially this summer season when the temperature is expected to reach record high giving way to sickness and heat-caused diseases.  

In response to this, Procter & Gamble (P&G), with the largest lineup of leading brands in consumer packaged goods, launches a campaign to drive awareness and action in fighting germs and bacteria. This summer, P&G targets to educate and empower households, particularly mothers, as they play a key role in ensuring the well-being of everyone in the household.

Dr. Charles Gerba, renowned microbiologist, who has worked with P&G globally, said that 80% of all infections are spread through the environment – from air, water, soil, food, and even common household items. 

 

Home Is Where the Microbes Are

 The home, a place where one should feel most safe, is a friendly habitat for fomites. Fomites are objects or substances that are capable of transmitting infectious organisms from one individual to another. As we are exposed to different places and people, we are vulnerable to the harmful effects of germs and bacteria we come in contact with that cannot be easily seen and felt. It is alarming to note that 60% of household surfaces are infected with the influenza virus during flu season. Furthermore, the flu virus can survive for 48 hours or more on some surfaces.

The studies from P&G also revealed some interesting findings on places and items where germ levels are at the highest. These include dish sponges, discovered to be the friendliest thriving place of coliforms with the highest amount of these bacteria in relation to matter size; the kitchen, which houses some of the germ hotspots in the house such as the refrigerator with 60% infection rate, microwave (60%) and kitchen faucet (60%). The top germ hotspot inside the home is the phone receiver which has an 80% infection rate.  

Germ spots inside the home:

• Light switch – 60%
• TV remote – 50%
• Doorknob – 50%
• Bath faucet – 50%

 

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The forgotten fomites:

• Phones and mobile phones
• Computer keyboard and mouse
• Laundry

However, it is also important to remember that we carry these germs with us everywhere we go.

Contaminated and germ-infested clothes are not only unhygienic when worn; they also cause malodor and discoloration. Furthermore, wearing unclean clothes will aggravate skin infections brought about by germs such as pimples and rashes, body odor, itching and other bacterial skin infections. 

Normal cleaning tools and practices are not effective in helping reduce the level of germs. Instead, targeted use of disinfectants, and those with antibacterial properties, is recommended because they can reduce the risk of infection by 99.9%.

 

On The Lookout for Common Summer Diseases

 Aside from knowing where to find the hotspots of germs in the house, moms must also be mindful of common weather-related sicknesses. In a tropical country like the Philippines, extreme weather changes can take place and have placed the country on the radar of climate risk watchers.

Exposure to heat causes ailments such as dehydration and heatstroke. Skin infections (such as boils) caused by poor hygiene, and prickly heat (bungang-araw), brought about by extreme heat and humidity, are also weather-related diseases to watch out for during this season. Individuals must also be cautious of food poisoning caused by easily spoilt foods because of the heat.

P&G’s new campaign reflects its commitment to support the Department of Health’s efforts to ensure the health and well-being of the public against the spread of diseases.  The DOH, through the National Epidemiology Center, is actively pursuing research and analysis of the different diseases and other threats to public health and has been aggressively undertaking public communications campaigns. 

Did you know?

• Fecal bacteria and viruses are ejected from the toilet during flushing. The droplets settle out in the restroom, contaminating the restroom with fecal microorganisms.
• An average pair of underwear contains 0.1 grams of feces, which is full of rotavirus (causes diarrhea), adenovirus (causes respiratory infections) and salmonella (causes typhoid fever)
• Women’s restrooms have higher levels of fecal coliforms than men’s.

 

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Protecting Every Household from Germs 24/7 

To aid moms in maintaining a safe and germ-free home, P&G shares a few helpful tips that moms can observe in keeping the cleanliness inside their homes:

• Always prioritize maintaining good hygiene by taking a bath and washing hands, regularly changing clean clothes and using clean towels.
• Conduct regular cleaning of kitchen sinks to avoid accumulation of leftovers and residue build-up, which can serve as a breeding ground for germs. Also make sure that you clean the microwave, pans, utensils, and other kitchen items even though some of them are not being used regularly.
• Inside the bathroom, see to it that the cleaning products that you use for your skin are still good to use and not expired. Also make sure that you clean the bathroom sink, floor, walls, faucets, and other surfaces.
• Make sure that you clean your refrigerator regularly to avoid accumulation of germ build-up.
• Regularly disinfect the phone receiver as it accumulates the highest number of bacteria that transmits disease-causing germs.

P&G has a strong line-up of Antibac products to aid moms in keeping their households safe and germ-free. Safeguard, P&G’s leading personal care brand, is scientifically proven to remove 99% of germs and provides protection for up to 24 hours. Ariel with the Power of Safeguard has a multiple cleaning system & built in additives for a complete wash. Ariel’s Antibac variant is also proven to remove 99.9% of germs. Joy Antibac dishwashing liquid with the Power of Safeguard is proven to prevent germ and bacteria growth on sponges. Downy Antibac protects fabric from growth of bacteria that can cause malodor.

Clint Navales, Country Communications Leader for P&G Philippines, explains: “P&G is committed to providing moms the best tools to protect their family against the spread of diseases; we have both the industry expertise to educate and inform about germ protection and a line-up of trusted products to make sure that health and safety inside the homes are met. We hope for this campaign to result to both awareness and action and for them to have a clear picture of how to act swiftly and decisively against germs.”

P&G is continuously working to arm Filipino households with the proper information and reliable P&G products to maintain a healthy, clean and germ-free environment, not only this summer but all year-round. It is also important to keep in mind that safety is a good combination of awareness and action. P&G encourages development of good hygiene behaviors to maintain the safety and good sanitation in all households.

 

Photo by clogozm via flickr creative commons