Wash your hands

I’m feeling a bit like Howard Hughes these days (albeit, without the urge to wiz into milk bottles).
Everyone around me is sick, or getting there. Some nasty shit, too.
It is the season of giving, but I don’t want your hacking cough, fever and need to boof into the toilet.
Wash your hands.
It’s gotten to the point where I’m paranoid, sure. I carry a little bottle of hand sanitizer in my cargo pants. I try to avoid touching door handles. I never, ever, touch my hands to my mouth or eyes _ it I haven’t washed them in the last 15 minutes.
Every day, I get to my desk and take alcohol swabs and clean my telephone and mouse. I put little bottles of hand sanitizer next to all the shared design computers (never trust that the guy or gal next to you washed their hands).
I wash my hands – frequently _ with hot water and soap; I open the bathroom door with the paper towel I used to dry my hands (shades of Howard, I know, but it’s a men’s bathroom door for chrissakes _ there’s one guy here who NEVER, EVER washes his hands, no matter what he does in there, gross).
So far, I have avoided most everything the kids and the wife bring home. But it’s getting tough. Each and every time, it seems, that kids come home from their dad’s, they are percolating with something. The boy stayed with us this week and got so sick (103-degree temperature) he went to see my doctor. My daughter called from her dad’s all stuffy; I’m sure we’ll get her back sick.
We have Airborne, which I’ve been drinking religiously. But I also drink a lot of fluids in general (it gives the organs something to do, rather than hang around and pick up some virus or infection).
So far, so good. But hey, you can’t be too careful. Here’s some tips from the Mayo Clinic:

Proper hand washing with soap and water:
Follow these instructions for washing with soap and water:
* Wet your hands with warm, running water and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Lather well.
*Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 seconds.
*Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
*Rinse well.
*Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.
*Use a towel to turn off the faucet.

Proper use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers — which don't require water — are an excellent alternative to hand washing, particularly when soap and water aren't available. They're actually more effective than soap and water in killing bacteria and viruses that cause disease. Commercially prepared hand sanitizers contain ingredients that help prevent skin dryness. Using these products can result in less skin dryness and irritation than hand washing.
Not all hand sanitizers are created equal, though. Some "waterless" hand sanitizers don't contain alcohol. Use only the alcohol-based products.
To use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
*Apply about 1/2 tsp of the product to the palm of your hand.
*Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces of your hands, until they're dry.
Duh.