Hepatitis Outbreak Surging

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/thrive/2003/nov/15/111509066.html ^

[who knows what evil?]

Part of my indoctrination when I worked for a hospital in FL years ago was proper handwashing technique after using the restroom. One must whistle the *entire* tune to "Dixie" while scrubbing hands in order to wash for the recommended length of time - none of this "wet your fingertips and wipe" stuff. Then, one must use a paper towel to not only shut off the faucet (your hands were *dirty* when you touched it), but then discard that paper towel and use a fresh one to wipe one's hands, then use *that* towel to open the door to the restroom to offset all of the other slobs that did not wash *their* hands.

Amen and amen! I worked at a large facility in southern Appalachia, and hygiene among the locals in non-existent. I have been practicing the above cited procedure for YEARS, and never get sick; even though everyone else around me is CONSTANTLY hacking and sneezing. When men are done 'relieving' themselves, they just grab the door handle and walk out...usually hitting the snack or soda machine on the way back to their desks. I smile when the ladies come along and select the SAME product from a vending machine that one of the 'unwashed' males had just used...if you only knew what ELSE he had in his hand just a few moments earlier...eeeeewwww!

[ken5050]

FYI..BTW..anmd didn't the Marines teach your husband NOT to dig the well next to the latrine?

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Perhaps Tiny Tom will be out there soon touting the Republican agenda to spread Green Onions across the country at the expense of the working class.......

Thanks for the warning - I'll be anti-onion for awhile........ although the thought of onions does bring tears to my eyes.......

[dansangel]

if you only knew what ELSE he had in his hand just a few moments earlier...eeeeewwww!

Eeeewwwww is right! I'm sitting here at work eating lunch and ever-so-grateful that for the *very* reason you have stated, I use a paper towel when programming the microwave to heat up my lunch. Heck, I even use it to open the fridge.

I get a lot of curious looks, but I do it because, as you so *eloquently* put it (LOL!), I don't know where the hands were that last touched it.

[dansangel]

I may just have to "suck it up" and try La Grotta one day. We are so fortunate to have some highly-rated restaurants out here in the northern and northeast 'burbs, that I really haven't missed going into Atlanta.

[JustPiper]

We've been following this for about two weeks. All news sources (TV) etc have been reporting its dwidled down to almost nothing and the 00 + cases were from the initial poisoning awhile ago

[JustPiper]

ping

[MeekOneGOP]

Heads up, folks ! ...

Hepatitis Outbreak Surging

Excerpt:

PITTSBURGH (AP) -

The number of people infected in a hepatitis A outbreak linked to a western Pennsylvania restaurant has exceeded 500 and is likely to continue rising for another week, state Health Department officials said Saturday.

Three people infected with the virus have died, and thousands have lined up for inoculations since the outbreak was reported in early November among people who ate at a Chi-Chi's Mexican restaurant.

A Chi-Chi's executive said the company has adopted "extraordinary measures" companywide, including sickness logs for employees and asking workers to sign "wellness statements" asserting they are not ill, in an effort to prevent similar outbreaks elsewhere.

As of Saturday, 510 cases of hepatitis A had been confirmed in the outbreak, Pennsylvania Health Department spokesman Richard McGarvey said.

He said more infections are expected because people who contract hepatitis A typically don't exhibit its early flu-like symptoms for 28 to 30 days.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Pennsylvania or General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the heads up ! ...

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Joe Hadenuf]

Sometimes you have to wonder if its safe to eat at any restaurant. With people constantly coughing, sniffling, sneezing etc. --- kitchens are like germ factories.

It's NOT safe as restaurants increasingly import food from Mexico, compounded by the fact that literally millions of illegals continue to pour into this country, without shots or medical screening.....Gag....The potential for disaster is very real.

We make it a point to only eat out when absolutely necessary. You not only save money, your chances of becoming ill or catching some nasty disease is greatly reduced....

[oldcomputerguy]

"Was there a sewer break at the time the onions were picked?

Yes! it occurred immediately south of the Rio Grande.

As to washing vegetables, I read very recently that E-coli
was found in lettuce leaves even though it had been washed
using bleach. It had evidently been drawn up into the plant thru the roots. This stuff is going to continue until we
stop importing food of this type from these 3rd world countries.

[Temple Owl]

And I heard what the Mexicans do to the beer.

[WestCoastGal]

"A Chi-Chi's executive said the company has adopted "extraordinary measures" companywide, including sickness logs for employees and asking workers to sign "wellness statements" asserting they are not ill, in an effort to prevent similar outbreaks elsewhere"

Sign a paper?????? How about mandatory testing!!!

A also agree with the post about those that wear gloves and handle money. That's worse than bare hands in my opinion. Those gloves sometimes look like they've worn them all day, I've asked clerks to change their gloves when they come up to help me. In a very upscale market I was at the meat counter where the clerk was cutting chicken. He came up and was going to help me without washing his hands. I said aren't you going to wash your hands? He said "Oh I won't touch the meat" Yeah right, he touches the paper to pick it up with, the wrapping paper, the label. I just turned around and left!!

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

"...many areas of the USA have had no exposure to hepatitis A and many other diseases, there is no immunity built up so when the third world people move in, there is a very susceptible population..."

Interesting and accurate point. But we are still left with a problem. We don't want our chives exposed to sewage. It is wa....ay below US standards, and I hope it always will be.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

How about this? Raw veggies exposed to sewage are not acceptable.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

"Welcome to Free Trade"

I think I'll get my green onions from my yard. To heck with this!

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

'He said "Oh I won't touch the meat" Yeah right, he touches the paper to pick it up with, the wrapping paper, the label. I just turned around and left!!'

Right. While meat is a major germ factory, even wrapping paper can pick germs up, espcecially if a tiny dab of grease is involved, which is just as bad as meat. It's even more dangerous if there's blood around from fresh chicken. I worked in restaurants for years and saw some gross things.

[dansangel]

How about this? Raw veggies exposed to sewage are not acceptable.

Absolutely, positively agreed. Isn't it too bad that something as obvious as this is not obvious to those that it needs to be obvious to???

[JustPiper]

Naturally Meek ;)