h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

About chip and pin machines, hole in the wall keypads, touch screens at railways etc?

I noticed just how filthy the ch/p keypad I was about to use in Tesco was last week. Surely more than a day's worth of DNA there I thought.

I rang Tesco head office to ask what the guidelines were on cleaning the ch/p and cash machine keypads and was told they had to refer me to local store. They put me through but there was no answer after five minutes so I gave up. I am planning to ask the manager directly next time I go shopping.

I did ask in my local Superdrug and was told they clean the ch/p pads with antibac wipes twice a day.

I looked on the net for any information I could find but there is little to say what any recommended cleaning regime there should be.
Hospitals, I believe, are going to be getting a special type of keyboard for the wards which is easier to keep clean as it is recognised by the NHS that keypads are a very quick way of spreading MRSA.

The last checkout assistant to serve me in Tesco by the way, had a dripping nose which she kept mopping with a tissue throughout the transaction whilst handling my debit card. Maybe this is why I am coughing and sneezing this morning!

I am not an obsessive compulsive person, alarmed by the possiblities of germs in everything I see. Just a concerned citizen wondering if this thought about the proliferation of keypads/touch screens etc in conjunction with the rapid and repeated spread of bacterial and viral infections had occured to anyone else.

I will be conducting my own survey of local shops to find out how often these things are cleaned and how.

If anyone else has any ideas about this please let me know.

spidey

I think you touch enough doorhandles, hand-rails and various other devices for the chip and pin machines to make a negligable difference. Though the results of your survey could be quite interesting

If you're worried about keypads, then you should also worry about supermarket trolleys (not to mention the grocery section)


They shouldn't be using antibacterial wipes. That is just stupid.


>>touch screens at railways <<

What are they?

What about the door handles of gents loos?

The doors always open inwards, so you have to use the handle. The number of people that don't wash their hands is ridiculous and I've got to touch the handle right after them

I find the concept of washing hands in public toilets as many people don't wash their hands but then use the handle to exit, while those who do wash their hands invariably are unable to get them totally dry, so contaminate their hands anyway, therefore a pointless exercise.

I ed muchly this week at the news that some boffin in the NHS has come up with a brand spanking new wipe clean computer keyboard to combat just such problems in hospitals.

Strangely, it looked just like the keyboard on my mates Atari circa 1980ish.

A large part of my working life is spent considering cross-infection-control issues - so I'm very aware of how easily bugs can be spread.

When leaving a public loo I never touch the door handle with my newly washed hands - instead, I pull my sleeve down over my hand and use that instead.

The main problem is in finding a happy balance between meeting enough bacteria and viruses to stimulate your immune system and make it stronger - and meeting so many bugs that you're permanently ill.

Outside of the surgical scenario, I think it's sometimes possible to be too clean.
Well - that's my excuse for having a clatty house

To original poster,
I think you need to keep a sense of balance about it, yes hospitals are concerned about MRSA on keyboards, but they have a lot of already sick patients, some with open wounds.
Commonsense washing hands before eating and after using toilet is sensible, but if you aren't careful you can literally worry yourself sick.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.

It's clearly an Al Qaeda plot to bring down Western society with biological weapons. You can find out about this on the internet, so it must be true.

RF

Jeez Freddy, you want everyone to know?

Another side issue I've noticed associated with chip and pins - ever notice how many CCTV cameras there are in most shops these days, often with a very good view of the PIN keypad?

So if they don't make you sick, they'll take your money instead...

I work as a cashier at a leading electronics store, and the majority of people pay for their purchases using debit or credit cards. In the last month, I think 2 people in total have covered up what they were inputting when they put their PINs in.

As for those supermarket trolleys - it's the Mums who stand gossiping that worry me - they never look at their children - who are usually sucking with great gusto at the handle which is conveniently at chin height for a toddler sat in the seat at the front of the trolley.

I found my cat drooling while he was asleep on my pillow the other day ... should I be worried?

Meanwhile, I think we've got to ingest a certain amount of icky germs on a daily basis to keep our immune systems perky. And anyhow, after leaving the public toilet and - eep! - touching the dreaded door handle, do you immediately suck on your fingers or what?

If not, what's the problem?

az

No Az, I don't suck on my fingers, but I do want to wash them. It's catch 22

I don't let it ruin my life, it's just irritating.

I know a salesman who urinates into a bottle in his car and defecates into a tupperware bowl. I refuse point blank to get in his car and have so far managed to avoid shaking his hand

I'd give the sandwiches a wide too if i were you.

I always want to wash my hands after touching coins. Which, let's face it, we all do, quite frequently.

You must be one of the common people Some of us don't bother with coins.

I am with you on the toilet door handles SWL. As you say, they always open inwardly and quite often they are extremely heavy and have very thick handles so you can't open them with just the tip of one finger.

The cashpoint of our local Halifax had what we used to refer to as a 'flob' or a 'greenie' (that's saliva with mucus, if you don't know) on the screen for a few weeks. As if that idiot who appears in their adverts isn't enough to make you want to vomit!

>>You must be one of the common people Some of us don't bother with coins<< Working in a shop, I have to touch lots of coins and banknotes daily, and like TC, I have the urge to wash my hands. I never touch he door handle in a public toilet, I use my elbow for opening the door, or take the paper towel and bin it afterwards.