In my business, I see a lot of people and I shake a lot of hands. On some occasions, may shake the hands of an entire Battalion of 600 or more Soldiers before they get on the plane to deploy. It is an honor to shake their hand, but you never know who may be sick among the group. One time after shaking only 300 hands, I came down with a stomach virus a day later. Also, in my job, there are time when I am surrounded by dirt and grime. In the field, these are breeding grounds for disease and illness. Other times, I am walking through the hospital surrounded by sick patients. There is plenty of opportunity to pick up an illness or, even worse, bring those illnesses home to my family.
So, my pick of the week, is Purell, and it sits on my desk at work and I keep a small bottle in my front pocket of my uniform. Purell is an advanced hand sanitizer that advertises to kill 99.99% of germs. I don’t know if that is 100% true—but it has definitely helped in my situation. I do try to wash my hands frequently, but most of the time, I am not near a restroom to wash my hands and all I have available is my hand sanitizer. It is a substance that I don’t like to be without—I see too many people. I always need to make sure my hands are clean. If you are in a similar situation, give Purell a try!