Cold and flu are still in season. Are your employees, coworkers, and visitors coughing and sneezing? Illness can spread quickly, especially when we are indoors during the cooler months and working closely together.

Flu spreads when people who have the illness cough, sneeze or talk, spraying droplets of disease all over the objects and surfaces that other people use and touch all day long – as well as into the mouths, noses and eyes of nearby people.

From there flu can take a ride from one surface or place to another through touch, or from your hands to your mouth, eyes or nose. The bottom line is that more people get sick. The more people who are sick, the less productive your office.

Coverall Health-Based Cleaning System® suggests sending an email to employees about simple ways to help prevent the spread of colds and flu in the workplace. Below is an example which you may use if you like.

What are you doing to fight the flu at work this year? Email us your ideas to coverall.communications@coverall.com. Go fight some germs!

Sample email:

Cold and flu are still in season. Please help protect yourself and those around you.

If you’re not feeling well:

• Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then throw it away. If you don’t have a tissue, cover your mouth and then wash your hands. Germs travel from your mouth and nose to surfaces and people throughout the building.
• If you can’t stay at home, then keep your distance from others. Don’t shake hands or hug people while you’re sick. Try to do meetings over the phone instead of in person.
• e mindful of the things that you touch that are commonly used by others, such as door handles, microwave buttons, desktops, telephones, and other items that can hang onto the flu bug for several days. Wash your hands often with hot water, soap, and 20 seconds of scrubbing.

If you’re feeling good and want to avoid getting sick:

• Know the germ “hot spots” in your office. For example, the average phone has 400 times more germs on it than a toilet seat. Properly disinfect your work area.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs quickly spread from surfaces to your hands into your body. The average person touches his face 3 to 5 times a minute!
• Wash your hands often. Don’t just put them under water for a couple of seconds. Use hot water and soap, and sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice (in your head) to make sure that you are scrubbing long enough. Then dry thoroughly.