Winter is just around the corner and it seems the whole of nature is responding. Birds fly overhead determined to get to warmer lands, the trees shed their leaves and we all wrap up and grumble about the weather.
It is easy to forget that Microbes are part of nature too… a huge part of it, and winter has a big effect on them also. They do not fly south for the winter, nor do they retreat into the soil until spring. For many bugs, winter is a time of growth and opportunity, and for us that means it is a time for care and attention.
Now that the sun is weaker, those summer UltraViolet rays do not do as much damage to viruses out in the open, allowing them to survive in infectious state for longer than in the summer. Damp, starts to become worse in and out of our homes and provides the perfect place for bacteria to survive, with cool moist conditions allowing bugs that normally quickly dry out and die, a longer period to stay alive and a longer opportunity to find a nice warm home in our houses or in our bodies!
We often notice the mushrooms and toadstools that appear in our gardens and woods, but just like these fungi the ones closer to our homes (and living in) the moulds and mildews are also producing spores and in doing so causing problems in breathing for many of us.
Knowing that winter is a time when bugs can survive longer to transfer about and even infect us with colds or even Swine flu, tells us something. That something is that we too should change the way we act a little to respond to the season. Using tissues when we sneeze is wise at all times, but especially in winter is a really practical way to stop germs spreading. Washing your hands and keeping them hygienic, really matters! Just imagine putting your mouth where your hands touch on say a tube journey or a bus ride…fancy a lick of that grab handle…er no! Your hands go there all the time! So in winter especially, taking care in keeping them clean will make a difference.
It might seem that the outlook is pure gloom, but the good thing is that numerous micro-organisms are not too cunning, so they will not sneak about or hide when they see you coming to clean! My idea is we all abandon the idea of Spring cleaning and have Autumn and Winter clean instead! That way we can spend the gloomy grey days keeping our lives cleaner and healthier, and spend the Spring days enjoying nature as the leaves return and the birds fly back!
Tags: Autumn, Byotrol, Cleaning, Germs, microbes, Stephen Falder
