Going viral: How germs spread

March 06 2020, by Melissa McGinnis, 9 min reading time

In "Combating Coronavirus: Are you prepared for the flu this season?", we provided five preventative actions for Coronavirus.

1. Wash your hands with soap and water throughout the day.
2. Cover your cough with a tissue or the crook in your arm to prevent the spread of disease.
3. Avoid touching your face to transfer germs to enter your body via your mouth, eyes, or nose.
4. Disinfect commonly touched items including your keys, cell phone, computer keyboard, purse straps, door handles, and surfaces with either rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant spray.
5. Avoid highly congregated areas and choose fist bumps or elbow touches to greet others instead of handshakes.

You should do your best to follow the steps listed above, however, this is often easier said than done. For example, try counting the number of times you touch your face in an hour—you'll likely be shocked. Even if you're proactively washing your hands and refraining from touching your face, it's difficult to completely avoid other people. Furthermore, you cannot trust that other people are following the guidelines. The upshot is that avoiding the pathogens is virtually unavoidable.

We've all seen it—someone coughs or sneezes and doesn't bother to cover their mouth and nose. Perhaps this person was standing right next to you. Serving as the direct recipient of someone's cough or sneeze is obviously bad (and disgusting), however, you don't have to be standing next to someone in order to breathe in their germs.

Did you know that the average sneeze or cough can send around 100,000 contagious germs (including influenza and respiratory viruses) into the air at speeds up to 100 miles per hour?

These respiratory droplets travel far and wide—as much as 26 ft away (University Health News)—and can stay suspended in the air for 10 minutes! That's enough for respiratory droplets to make it into the ventilation systems (MIT News).

Even if a person manages to fully cover their mouth and nose, they typically do so with their hands. Unless they wash their hand immediately afterward, they will undoubtedly pass on their germs to everything that they touch, including handrails, door handles, elevator buttons, and other people via the customary handshake or hug.

Despairingly, one study found that roughly 30 to 40% of people do not wash their hands after using the bathroom, and a paltry 30-40% wash their hands after sneezing or coughing into them (American Society For Microbiology, 2000). Given this, we must depend on our internal immune system to rescue us from a contaminated world.

Your immune system takes care of you...help take care of it

Danger lurks outside our bodies. Our immune system is the frontline defense against the nasty viral and bacterial invaders that cause illness. Make sure to support your internal troops by supplying your body with the nutrients and probiotics it needs to perform at its best.

Your immune system is a complex conglomerate of cells, tissues, and friendly bacteria that requires a range of vitamins and minerals to function properly. Eating a clean and varied diet (full of whole foods, vegetables, and fruits), getting enough sleep, and reducing stress are keys to sustaining a healthy immune system. Too often, however, we consume excess sugar, stay up far too late, and feel stressed, which compromises our ability to combat the bad bugs and viruses.

Individuals with suppressed immune systems are significantly more likely to get sick and have more severe symptoms compared to those with robust and responsive immune systems. Older individuals or those who are currently sick also need extra care and support.

Don't disregard your health by neglecting your immune system.

Immune Boosters

Here's how you can give your immune system a much-needed boost.

Immune Nutrition

Several natural herbs and extracts, such as Elderberry and Oil of Oregano, may further bolster your immune system. Elderberry (also called Sambucus) is a natural remedy that has antiviral properties, particularly against different strains of influenza virus (NIH: Smbucol). Oil of Oregano has traditionally been used to help support immune system response and to maintain healthy intestinal flora.

The mineral Zinc is also important for immune functioning. Zinc ions are involved in regulating intracellular signaling pathways in innate and adaptive immune cells (NIH: Zinc).

Vitamin C

There's a reason people reach for the Vitamin C during the cold and flu season. Vitamin C, which is also a potent antioxidant, contributes to immune defense by supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Notably, a deficiency in Vitamin C can impair immunity, making people more susceptible to infections. In turn, infections significantly impact Vitamin C levels due to enhanced inflammation and metabolic requirements (Nutrients, 2017). Vitamin C cannot be produced by the body, thus it must come from a balanced diet. Taking a supplement will ensure that you're meeting your daily requirements.

Vitamin D3

Your bones crave Vitamin D3, but so does your immune system! Several epidemiological studies have linked inadequate vitamin D chronic infections and autoimmune diseases (Pharmacology). Unfortunately, Vitamin D can be difficult to obtain naturally. It requires spending time in the sun (which isn't exactly healthy for your skin) or eating foods rich in Vitamin D, which are few. Considering this, it's recommended to supplement your diet with Vitamin D3 in order to ensure proper immune functioning. Added bonus, your bones and lean muscle will thank you too.

Probiotics

Do you often feel bloated, constipated, or more generally uncomfortable after eating or as the day progresses? This is a sign that your digestive system may be depleted of beneficial bacteria. Without these friendly microbes, your body struggles to absorb essential nutrients and, importantly, it can impair the immune system. Current research suggests that the flora in our guts may play an important role in the immunoregulatory response. Its benefits may also extend to protection from viral infection (NIH: Probiotics).

Sources:

MIT News: http://news.mit.edu/2014/coughs-and-sneezes-float-farther-you-think

NIH: Echinacea: https://nccih.nih.gov/health/echinacea/ataglance.htm

NIH: Probiotics: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4006993/

NIH: Sambucol (Black Elderberry): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518

NIH: Zinc: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5748737/

Nutrients (2017): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29099763

Pharmacology: DOI : 10.1016/j.coph.2010.04.001

University Health News. https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/eyes-ears-nose-throat/how-far-does-a-sneeze-travel/

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