When the flu season is high and viruses are all around us, it’s time to be careful of fomites.
Fomites are objects that have germs on them and that allow the germs to transfer from one person to another; So…..a doorknob is a fomite; A shopping-cart handle is a fomite. The handles on your favorite gym equipment are fomites.
How do you avoid fomites? Well….it’s difficult. We live in the world and have to touch things…we can’t swing from vine to vine line a chimpanzee (and even vines can be fomites…so that wouldn’t help.
The way to deal with fomites is a proper amount of handwashing, and the occasional (not excessive) use of hand sanitizer with an alcohol base. This will limit your exposure to viruses a good bit, but there is no way to avoid fomites completely.
So….learn to love fomites, learn to respect fomites, but don’t fear fomites. Wash your hands more and you’ll keep fomites from being your nemesis.