Germs: they’re everywhere
“I’ve had this cough for three weeks,” the cashier said as she hacked and coughed and contaminated the counter around her.”I went to the doctor. They say its just allergies,” she said as grabbed my apples with the hand she had just used to collect all the germs that exploded from her mouth. She pulls a shiny red apple from the thin plastic bag that was protecting it from her infectious virus.
“Macintosh?”
“Empire,” I respond, cringing as she exhales all over it.
My poor apple. It is now coated with disease.
“Right. Well I’ve never had allergies like this.”
Cough. Hack. Cough.
There go my bananas.
“That’s too bad.”
“I’m getting better though I think.” Cough. Hack. Cough.
Germs. They’re everywhere. All over doorknobs, desks, keyboards.my bananas. There’s no way to escape them unless you want to avoid people completely and not touch anything another human being has touch. Have fun in your bubble.
For the rest of us who can’t hibernate in a bubble, our best defense is the simple tried and true trick: wash your hands. And if you can’t get to a sink very often antibacterial hand lotion is just as effective.
“Recent studies have found no difference in the effectiveness of alcohol-based gels, antibacterial soaps or plain soap and water,” writes Chris Gajilan in his Time magazine article How Not to Get Sick This Winter.
Keeping up with your regular workout and sleep schedule is another way to keep your immune system in top shape, according to Gajilan. Winter’s the worst time for colds because people are inside more and workout less.
The best defense is keeping yourself healthy so you can fight off the germs that will inevitably come your way.
More Stories
Not your average “Soccer Mommy”
So, I love music, and I love it a lot. I’m primarily a fan of heavier music, as I cannot enjoy “today’s top hits.” But, I still enjoy genres like Indie and Alternative. I attended my first concert on Sept. 24, 2021 in Burlington, Vermont. The artist? Soccer Mommy. Now, I had heard of Soccer […]
What the Hell Happened? Sports bloopers
Alrighty, I’ve been given the green light to share some more sports news. As always, with all the highlights being praised on the news, I’m here to show you the goofs and wacky stuff that make you wonder “what the hell happened?” — Man, what a wild way to cap off a wild NFL season. […]
Day in the life of Jake Rick
Colleges are places of education for people pursuing knowledge and degrees in various different fields of study. But in the shadows, there are people who work around these institutions so that people can continue to further their education successfully in a pleasant setting. Jake Rick is a Castleton University grounds supervisor whose job is to […]
We made it, Mom
I remember distinctly the first time I was asked what I wanted to go to college for. My 6th grade science teacher posed it to our class (I guess start ‘em young, right?), and of course I had no idea. Probably for a lot of the same reasons as most of my young peers, but […]
Letter to the editor: CU, you let us down
I once was a student mentor for Castleton University. Whether it was doing tours for potential new students on accepted students’ day, or texting incoming students in the months leading up to their matriculation, I thoroughly enjoyed passing on my thoughts on why Castleton University was the right choice. I always told them the same […]
From classmates to colleagues: CU graduates start journalism careers
Jay Mullen and Austin Crosier sat next to each other, each holding a notebook. Across the room was one of New York’s candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, waiting for one of the recent Castleton University graduates to ask the first question. Not long ago, these two reporters sat together in the media […]