Traveling? Don’t forget hand sanitizer

Airport security trays pack extra-germy punch

The microscopic world is both fascinating and unsettling to me.

I love to read these reports about unexpected household germ hotbeds, an interest that likely dates back to a friendship with a biochemistry student in college who had a habit of stalking into people’s kitchens and throwing away their sponges.

In his mind, he was helping people out because sponges are little incubators for bacteria and viruses. In our minds, the action was more than a little annoying. But the guy had a point. This week, CNN aired a report about the most germfilled spot in an airport, and it wasn’t where I would have thought.

The culprit? The airport security plastic trays, where you put all your stuff before going through security.

It makes sense, once I gave it some thought. I tend to stage my backpack to make the process pretty easy, but you do have to take some stuff out. And, you also have to take your shoes off, which often have to go into a bin too.

But how often does anyone think to wash those bins?

People sneeze and cough, then they handle the bins, and poof — there are some nice germs to share, too.

CNN cited a study by a team out of Finland that tested a variety of airport surfaces, from kiddie play spaces to stair railings. The team found viruses, such as rhinovirus (the common cold) and influenza on 10 percent of the surfaces tested.

An airport is a shared space, and people tend to be focused on the joys of traveling. They aren’t really giving much thought to the spaces around them in terms of cleanliness. And in general, airports tend to look pretty clean.

But viruses and bacteria aren’t readily visible to the naked eye. When it comes to getting sick, it’s what you don’t see that usually causes the most problems.

The next time you travel, it might be worth tossing some hand sanitizer in your carry-on — and make sure you wash your hands often, especially after clearing security!