We are inside with food being rationed by the grocery stores. Still there are pluses*. Use YOUR science knowledge to make good decisions.

Wash your Hands, Aseptic Technique, 
Saving Lives
You know I often spoke and wrote about hand-washing. Hand-washing-to- prevent-disease is nothing new just because of the, "COVID-19," corona crisis. Hand-washing has been known to be critical in saving lives for years and years. It is so important to saving lives that I told my pre-medical and allied meical students, including nursing students, that ever if they even once forgot to use aseptic technique they would fail the course.

Complaining about Aseptic Technique?
Oh, how they complained! You can imagine. My response was that excellent aseptic technique was that important. They had to learn aseptic technique so they did it automatically or they could kill whole cities. You'll be glad to know, they all passed the course. You might even be alive because of their doing well in their studies. One of those students stopped an epidemic in Boston (and won an award for it), because she recognized a flaw in aseptic technique. She saved a city. More on that later. Let's look at aseptic technique first.

So what is aseptic technique? 
So what is aseptic technique? You haven't heard that on the news? Note that people often say, "sterile," when they mean, "aseptic." so, what isn the difference? Dictionary.com defines sterile this way: "Free from bacteria or other living microorganisms; totally clean," and aseptic this way, "Free from the living germs of disease, fermentation, or putrefaction." They are close in meaning but not the same. We can sterilize surgical equipment but not our hands. for example.

Singing your way clean 
I sang happy birthday twice whilke washing my hands. Today, people are being creative and riting more songs/ Do you have one to help you time your wahimg" Some singing you might enjoy be some cretive people is found here: https://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2012/06/update-from-personal-contact-wash-your.html.

Questions for Reflection
Reflect and put your thoughts down. Answer or take your best guesses at these questions: 

1. Why do you think we want our hands to be aseptic rather than sterile yet want surgical equipment to be sterile?
2. Is there a problem with over cleaning?
3. Do we need some germs? Why or why not?
4. How could aseptic technique save a city?
5. Do you want your hands to be sterile?
6. Why does a new field of architecture now study biology and asthma?
7. What are YOUR plusses to being quarantined?

I will give you some time to think about the questions and come back later with the story of the woman who got the award in Boston for stopping an epidemic a few years ago and some additional pointer.

_____
* From Dictionary.com, "noun, plural plus·es, plus·ses."

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK144018/ Accessed 4/22/2020.
2. Shipman, J S 2012, 2014 https://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2012/06/update-from-personal-contact-wash-your.html
3. Shipman, J S 2014.Wednesday, March 5, 2014, C-diff epidemic in USA and Europe hits home. (Personal update) Your help is needed to battle super germs (Yes, You...Your help). https://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2008/06/c-diff-epidemic-in-usa-and-europe-hits.html 
4. Shipman, J 2010 Thursday, February 25, 2010. Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI) Carry Steep Price Tag... Doctors are not exempt from using old-fashioned soap and water to wash their hands.https://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2010/02/hospital-acquired-infections-carry.html Thursday, May 13, 2010. Aseptique Technique: Preventing or Alleviating Problems. https://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2010/05/aseptique-technique-preventing-or.html
5. Shipman, J S . 2010. Thursday, May 13, 2010, Aseptique Technique Preventing or Alleviating Problems.  https://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2010/05/aseptique-technique-preventing-or.html.
6. Shipman, J S  2007 Thursday, December 20, 2007, Whttps://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2007/12/wash-your-hands.html/
7. Shipman. J S 2015   Marh 5. 2015. Update from a personal contact... Wash your hands! https://read-about-it.blogspot.com/2012/06/update-from-personal-contact-wash-your.html    
8. Shipman, J S  2017  Friday, September 17. 2010, Today's In the News is on Hand-Washing...                                  
9. Shipman, J S 2018. Surviving Old Age... No matter when you start, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43350445-surviving-old-age-no-matter-when-you-start  [I am updating and revising this book at present. The current contents are fine. I am just adding some newer research. I recommend the e-book if you just want to click links to sources. I personlly like holding the paperback but I prefer the e-book to typing in the address links. Yes, I did the painting on the cover. It is called, "Dutch-American Part of the Underground Railroad."]
10. Shaiman, Marc. 2020. March 20, 2020, We wrote You a Hand-washing Song: Listen up.  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/well/we-wrote-you-a-hand-washing-song-listen-up.html. Accessed 4/22/2020.