H1N1 Household Practices [General]

2009 Oct 27
So we talked a bit about H1N1 back in the Spring (1st Outbreak), but as it was March / April and Spring was upon us, it was a short discussion. Now as we head into Winter, and our usual Flu Season the experts say that Round 2 will be far more serious for Ottawa and Canada.

So have you changed any of your food prep, kitchen cleaning practices (or anywhere else in the house for that matter)?

I've always been pretty diligent about food handling, but I have upped my game recently. Using hand sanitizer at the grocery store (wiping down the cart handle in particular), washing my hands more frequently at home, dissenfecting the countertops daily (which I did before), but now I've added some of the more commonly touched surfaces (fridge door, front door handle, phone, tv remote). And using a lot more papertowel... have pretty much banished the dish towels from the kitchen (was never a dish towel / dishcloth fan to begin with).

2009 Oct 27
Hopefully you're not too freaked out by this F&T. Your 'extra' precautions for cleaning your kitchen surfaces are probably not needed, unless someone in your household is sneezing/coughing. You pretty much just have to worry about hand to mouth contact. Although the cart handle is likely a good place for bacteria/viruses to be transmitted, if you are not putting your hand to your mouth (before washing hands) it is not a big deal. Since you will be washing and/or cooking your veggies and fruit before consumption, this is also not a strong vector for contamination. Unlike bacteria, which can 'grow their numbers' on a surface, viruses cannot, so this reduces the chances you can be exposed to enough of them to get infected. All that being said, it is probably more important to get the vaccination, than it is to 'clean more' (unless your house is a pigsty, which I'm pretty sure is not the case for you)

2009 Oct 27
Hand sanitizer does not kill H1N1 - would just be killing some of the germs that might kill it actually.

2009 Oct 27
There is some dispute to the claim Zym. Here ( wiki.answers.com ) it says "According to a recent article published in the February, 2009, issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, "Efficacy of soap and water and alcohol-based hand-rub preparations against live H1N1 influenza virus on the hands of human volunteers," both hand cleaning techniques were effective in killing H1N1 (a strain of flu) virus on deliberately infected health care workers."

I've seen other sources that say it doesn't.. but they don't seem to list studies that proved it.. they just say something like 'everyone knows alcohol doesn't kill viruses' or some such thing. Anyone else? We have a number of biologists/doctors in the OttawaFoodie community.. care to comment?

2009 Oct 27
I'm not sure about the effectiveness of alcohol in killing germs (although maybe someone can enlighten us?) however most of the changes that I have made are at work. I always keep my kitchen very clean following Food&Think's example of wiping down the counterop thoroughly as well as the fridge door handle and cupboard door handles. These are all things I do anyway. However I regularly clean my keyboard and telephone at work since I am often asked by colleagues if they can "use the phone for just a second" or "can I look something up quickly on your computer". I know I am probably going to get some flack for this but I really like using the old standby vinegar. I convinced my supervisor to invest in a spray bottle and some vinegar which I purchased at the dollar store so that's what I use as my cleaning product. (We also have bottles of Purell all over the place for those who want to use it.)

2009 Oct 27
Biologist here, though mostly non-human. Antibiotics, antibacterial and antimicrobial soaps ect will not stop viruses such as H1N1. H1N1 is respiratory in nature and does not infect on skin contact. Using alcohol rubs, soap and water or the like will at least remove an substances containing the viruses and decrease the chance of accidental inhallation or ingestion.

For instance, say that you have H1N1 in a droplet of saliva on one hand. If you stay perfectly still, there is no risk. If you eat an apple and that droplet comes in contact with food or it's breathed in, it may infect you. Those preventative measures are intended chiefly to remove the vector rather then directly killing the virus. I havn't looked in to seeing if alcohol itself can denature the virus.

/epidimiology 101

2009 Oct 27
Pasta Lover - Although vinegar is great for general wet cleaning (dishes, laundry etc), I'm not sure I'd use it on my keyboard, or for example on my computer screen. Vinegar is acidic, and will essentially eat, and/or tarnish thinks like electrical contacts, and metal, and well.. just can't be good for LCD screens that say to only ever wipe with a damp cloth. My problem with vinegar solution is that it is not very volatile so after 'cleaning', you have to (on sensitive surfaces) wipe the surface dry with yet another cloth.

As a side note.. when you go to get a needle at the doctors office, they wipe your skin with an alcohol based wipe( I think it's alcohol at least), to sanitize the insertion point... so it seems trustworthy to a point.

Ok, I tracked down a copy of the original study that was cited in my link and here is the link so you can read it if you want: www.scribd.com/doc/12934606

The summary is they applied LIVE H1N1 virus to actual test subjects hands, and then performed one of five hand hygiene (HH) protocols. One protocol was the control, and it was to do nothing. Three protocols were tests of 3 different alcohol based hand rubs. The last protocol was simple hand washing with soap and water. After the protocols, they then tested for BOTH culturable remaining viruses, as well as PCR (real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) tests to detect viable virus bits.

The results were interesting:
- rapid reduction in culture-detectable and PCR-detectable A(H1N1) after a short (2 minute) period of cutaneous air drying alone (no alcohol or hand washing) and in 6 of 20 subjects there was no viable H1N1 recoverable. However, this reduction did not continue, and whatever was left after 2 minutes did not further reduce over the next 60 minutes.
- both hand washing, AND alcohol based rubs were determined to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE "in reducing influenza A virus on human hands" It is to be noted that there was a statistically small performance advantage to soap and water hand washing, over the alcohol treatments.

2009 Oct 27
Pete-In-Ottawa thanks for the heads up on the vineger. I have not been using it on my monitor just on the keyboard (which I will stop doing), my phone, and my desk top. I use the vinegar and water solution for household use (cleaning countertops, the fridge, cupboards, etc.) so I thought I would try it at work. Time to rethink my strategy.

2009 Oct 27
Microbiologist here. Years of low-pay, repetitive toil in labs has taught me that yes, alcohol-based sanitizers kill microorganisms. This includes many viruses such as H1N1.

It achieves this through the magic of dehydration and denaturaion. In other words, it destroys surface and interior proteins that viruses and bacteria need to live. Soap works the same way, but since we're not always in front of sinks, it's nice to have another option.

The Public Health Agency of Canada also thinks that they work as well, suggesting hand sanitizers and/or soap and water for keeping your hands virus-free:

www.phac-aspc.gc.ca


2009 Oct 27
I stand corrected!

2009 Oct 27
And do not let your bedroom look like this .... ok a little humour on this whole H1N1 craze

JDK

2009 Oct 27
One last thing on the H1N1 topic - a pretty funny but a video that really puts out some interesting facts. And yes ...I wash my hands !!!


2009 Oct 27
I'm admittedly a little freaked out by H1N1 (given that asthma puts myself and my young daughter at risk for it). That said, I haven't changed any kitchen practices. The rule in my house is anyone coming in washes hands with soap and water every time we walk in the door unless he/she has been alone in the garden. Any contact with people/stuff outside our home means walking in the door = soap and water. So we're as covered as we can be.

I'm still happily cleaning tables and counters with my lovely smelling Caldrea countertop spray. :)

2009 Oct 27
I work at a science advice firm here in Ottawa the Council of Canadian Academies - the Canadian equivalent of the American National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Before I worked at the Council an assessment was completed related to the transmission of the flu. Take a look at the report. It may provide some insight into this...

scienceadvice.ca

2009 Oct 27
Hi! Public Health employee here!

As a side note.. when you go to get a needle at the doctors office, they wipe your skin with an alcohol based wipe

True. Although there is some question as to whether this is happening at clinics; anyone want to confirm?

I'm more concerned with hand-washing than I am with it being transmitted through food. Also, BakingBombshell, you're not at higher risk for H1N1 so much as you are at higher risk for complications, rather the virus attacks more servely. You'd both be on the priority list for the vaccine, if you wish.


2009 Oct 28
LWB~ I do know that we're at higher risk for the complications, not transmission, I was just not typing the whole thing out. ;)
I broke it to my daughter yesterday that we're going to have to get the shot and that wasn't pretty. heh
I can't get it until I get over this stupid cold I have though (personal beliefs).

2009 Oct 28
All three of my kids are home sick and the about 25% of the students in their school are absent. Don't know if its H1N1 or not, only has a fever. I'm still fine so far. Knock on wood.

2009 Oct 28
Francis:
I spoke with my family doctor last Monday and he told me that symptoms of H1N1 are vomitting, diarrhea,sleepiness,and dificulty breathing.
Fever,head aches and coughing are part of the regular flu symptoms.
He also said that anyone who was born after 1957 hasn't exposed to the virus(similar virus caused outbreak back then)should be vaccineted.

2009 Oct 29
Hi Aisu,

Thanks for the info!

My two daughters have pretty much recovered and will be going back to school tomorrow. My son still has a cough and we are going to keep him home tomorrow.

I'm glad it wasn't H1N1. I would like to get the family vaccinated, but the vaccine is still not available to the public in Quebec, nor in Ottawa I think.


2009 Oct 29
Francis - As per the tv news for the last 2 days, vaccine is available on a very limited basis in both the Gatineau and Ottawa area. Mostly looking for people to come forward who are regarded as "high risk"... but from all accounts at least at the Ottawa Clinics a real mix of the general public has been showing up. And some are getting vaccinated who are not regarded in the high risk groups BUT the big thing is the wait... I hear the wait times are hours and hours.

Evidently more vaccine will be rolled out over the weeks to come... from what I've read although there are certainly flu bugs around in the late Fall, the worst of it will happen December, January, February and March (as it gets considerably colder) so even getting the vaccine into December is considered ok.

Sadly, I think a lot of people are going to get p-d off and there will be a public outcry long before that.

I have personally made the decision to get the shot, but I am willing to wait. I hate crowds, and well quite frankly they just increase one's risk.

2009 Oct 29
I work at the retirement home and we usually get vaccinated at the end of November. A Nurse told me that regular flu vaccine is valid for about three months, so residens are safe during the high risk months. (Dec, Jan, Feb)

H1N1, I hope ppl don't get flu while they are waiting in the long waiting line.

When we have flu outbreak at the premises, we discontinue the use of any table linen.

2009 Oct 29
Aisu - Your doctor is a bit misinformed on the symptoms. In 25% of confirmed cases, vomitting and diarrhea were symptoms. They do occur but are by no means in all cases. Fever is most definitely one of the common, severe symptoms of H1N1, as are body aches (though not normally migraines) and coughing or other respriatory issues.

Also, the statistic on 1957 is a bit arbitrary, because it's very difficult to say who was or was not exposed. There was also an outbreak in 1976, but not as widespread as this strain.

The residents should be safe from seasonal flu during the high risk months if they get the vaccine in November, yes, but Ottawa Public Health has yet to determine (as far as I know) what the protocol will be for retirement homes. It was, however, announced today that there will be a rollout of the vaccine to physicians in the coming week(s).

2009 Oct 30
lady who brunches: Thank you for taking your time to write me your comment,
I will tell my husband ( he believes whatever the doctor says)
I guess even medical doctors are confused with this H1N1.
As a foodie,let's keep warm and take good care by eating good food.

In Japan, about 14.000 schools have been closed because of the flu outbreak!
Outbreak at the retirement home was terrible last winter... :(

2009 Oct 30
Hi Food and Think,

Yes I heard the lineups are long. I also heard that flu vaccine is made differently in every country. The Canadian one is supposed to have some booster than enhances it's efficacy. But if that was the cause of the delay / shortage, it might not have been worth it.

I'll be getting it when it becomes available, even if there is a long lineup.

2009 Oct 31
The adjuvant that has been added to the vaccines is not the cause of the delay; as far as I know it's primarily the testing of it and so on. As far as I know the adjuvant efficient enough that children may only need one shot (unconfrmed at the provincial level, methinks).

2009 Nov 2
The delay (as reported on the news) is due to the manufacturer switching from the adjuvent version to non-adjuvent version (for pregnant women) and back again. Getting the manufacturing line back up and running full steam too longer than expected.