While many people used to believe that the cold winter weather put us at greater risk for illness, the truth is that it’s not the cold, but the spread of germs through the environment -such as the hundreds of surfaces we touch everyday-that cause illness.

During the warm-weather months, we spend lots of time outdoors, whether at the playground, local zoo, or sports arena, to name a few favorites. As we’re traveling or simply out and about, we rarely stop to think about the germs that our hands pick up in public, outdoor places-settings that offer fewer opportunities to wash hands at a sink with soap and water.

According to Dr. Charles Gerba, nationally known germ expert and professor of environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona, eighty percent of all common infections are spread through the environment around us-meaning we’re more likely to come into contact with germs at all those crowded public places that we frequent in the summer months.

But the good news is there are ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend keeping hands clean as an important preventive measure, even as the weather continues to heat up. According to the CDC, effective hand hygiene includes washing hands frequently with soap and water, and when these resources aren’t available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers like PURELL have been proven safe and effective in numerous published scientific studies. In fact, PURELL  Instant Hand Sanitizer is proven to kill most common germs that may cause illness, and starts working in seconds upon application. And, with portable packaging, it’s easy to bring along in a purse, backpack, suitcase, or picnic basket.

“It’s important to remember that although cold and flu season is a distant memory, we still can get sick during warmer weather seasons,” says Dr. Gerba. So, as families are outside and on-the-go and can’t get to a sink easily, it’s a smart decision to use portable, travel-sized containers of alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever hands come into contact with frequently touched surfaces.
o Playing at the park or on the jungle gym
o Using public restrooms
o Visiting amusement parks
o At baseball stadiums and other sporting events
o Visiting the zoo
o At outdoor concerts
o At a picnic
o During a hike
o While participating in outdoor clean-ups or community events

The CDC is not affiliated with the marketers of PURELL Instant Hand Sanitizer.

For more information, visit www.purell.com.

Photo Courtesy of Mel Svenson/Digital Vision/Getty Images