Cold + flu germs probably passed around via racking balls + ball-in-hand handling

arnaldo

arnaldo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This season seems worse than ever as far as widely transmitted colds, but not much you can do about it when you like to play as often as possible. I've heard of some players who travel to many other countries carrying antiseptic hand wipes (like those seen at a lot of food store entrances) in their cases.

The flu shots help and some of the vitamin supplements, but it's just the unique nature of our beloved sport that we have to jointly and continually handle so many of the essential items -- all the balls, chalks, and bridges.

Can't think of too many sports like that, but certain games -- like card playing, dominoes, etc -- are similar with respect to multiple essential items being jointly handled.

Arnaldo
 
G

gxman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Last yr(2017 onto 2018) was one of the worst.

This yr(2018 onto 2019) has been very light.
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
arnaldo said:
This season seems worse than ever as far as widely transmitted colds, but not much you can do about it when you like to play as often as possible. I've heard of some players who travel to many other countries carrying antiseptic hand wipes (like those seen at a lot of food store entrances) in their cases.

The flu shots help and some of the vitamin supplements, but it's just the unique nature of our beloved sport that we have to jointly and continually handle so many of the essential items -- all the balls, chalks, and bridges.

Can't think of too many sports like that, but certain games -- like card playing, dominoes, etc -- are similar with respect to multiple essential items being jointly handled.

Arnaldo
Click to expand...

Ok then see the letters that make the words go

Yeah
 
Sunchaser

Sunchaser

Belgian Malinois
Silver Member
I already caught that last month. Two league nights a week, I'm a fist bumper, not a hand shaker. My wife just walked in the door home from work early today. This should be fun. I agree...this year has been not good for colds/flu.
 
arnaldo

arnaldo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sunchaser said:
I already caught that last month. Two league nights a week, I'm a fist bumper, not a hand shaker. My wife just walked in the door home from work early today. This should be fun. I agree...this year has been not good for colds/flu.
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I like that fist bump idea a lot.

Never fails that I'm about to bite into sandwich I'm holding in a restaurant and some acquaintance comes by, says "Hey, how you doing" and extends his hand for a shake. I'm definitely going to do that fist bump thing -- looks chummy and moderately sporty and avoids what's avoidable. Thanks for reminding me of that now-common practice, Sunchaser.

I now recall that Ringo Starr -- who's well into his senior years -- said in a recent TV interview, something to the effect of (paraphrasing) "I travel to dozens of countries every year and the worst part is every stranger coning up to me with an outstretched hand. Who knows what's going around there. I quit shaking hands with anyone ten years ago. I just bump their hand with my elbow, say some small talk and move on. With John and George gone too soon, I don't want to catch anything. Do you blame me?"

Arnaldo
 
Runner

Runner

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A doctor once told me that it's not so much your hands touching germs, it's
when you unconsciously rub your nose, eyes, & mouth that you transfer the bug.
AND washing your hands before you eat, etc. helps.. $.02
 
KRJ

KRJ

Support UKRAINE
Silver Member
Runner said:
A doctor once told me that it's not so much your hands touching germs, it's
when you unconsciously rub your nose, eyes, & mouth that you transfer the bug.
AND washing your hands before you eat, etc. helps.. $.02
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Yuup. But I still prefer the "knuckle bump" anyways...

It's like pizza, it's not as important how long the pizza has been in the fridge as how long it was left out before it was put into the fridge :)
 
Runner

Runner

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ChicagoRJ said:
Yuup. But I still prefer the "knuckle bump" anyways...

It's like pizza, it's not as important how long the pizza has been in the fridge as how long it was left out before it was put into the fridge :)
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Hah, good one, Chicago... yeah, I do the fist bump thing, too.

I love the guy that wants to shake your hand, then tells you he just
got over a bad flu. :bash:
 
KRJ

KRJ

Support UKRAINE
Silver Member
Runner said:
Hah, good one, Chicago... yeah, I do the fist bump thing, too.

I love the guy that wants to shake your hand, then tells you he just
got over a bad flu. :bash:
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everyone in league knows I fist bump, 12 months of the year. None of them wash their hands after the bathroom, and the ones that do put their hands under water, without soap for literally 2 seconds.

Last week, guy is knuckle bumping with me in both games we had to play... we play each player on team twice. Of course, after match is over, and we are ready to leave he walks around to shake all of our hands and say nice match.

He puts his open hand out, I put my fist out, but he won't budge. He wants a handshake. I fist bump his open hand and you can tell he's not happy with that. WTF? He just looks at me weird, and walks away. I don't care, but just though what is the big deal.

And what is with all the hand shaking anyways, we are not at the United Nations signing a new treaty or something. Just say good game and break them.....
 
Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Absolutely.....and don't forget the rails and felt.......people cough, sneeze, touch their faces and then play pool.
The worst is when people sneeze and don't cover their faces to supress the germs. They simply turn their heads.
You see folks coming into pool halls looking sick or complaining about being under the weather and so there's risks.
 
Runner

Runner

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ChicagoRJ;6333 And what is with all the hand shaking anyways said:
Well, there IS a need for a proper handshake sometimes... if I make a
business deal without a contract, a proper handshake is in order.. that's
like my word that it's a done deal. An honor thing.

But at the pool hall with a guy that just came out of the barhroom with
wet hands?.. Hell no.. I fist bump on bets all the time, no problem.
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pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Okay, you buncha germophobes....
....what you guys need is a healthy immune system....
...that’s the system that tells germs to put up their dukes....
...if you overly avoid germs....you end up vulnerable to just about everything.
 
M

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
arnaldo said:
This season seems worse than ever as far as widely transmitted colds, but not much you can do about it when you like to play as often as possible.
Click to expand...

Wash your hands after shaking hands or touching anyone else's anything.
Even at the table, while it is your turn.
 
claymont

claymont

JADE
Gold Member
Silver Member
Buy a container of hand wipes and put a few in a baggie to carry in your case or on your person. When you're done for the night, use them. You could also get a small bottle of sanitizer to carry around and a bigger bottle refill it with.
Once you start using it, everybody will think you're a germaphoebe or will think about it and maybe start carrying their own:groucho:
I just wash my hands thoroughly before I leave.
ChicagoRJ said:
everyone in league knows I fist bump, 12 months of the year. None of them wash their hands after the bathroom, and the ones that do put their hands under water, without soap for literally 2 seconds.

Last week, guy is knuckle bumping with me in both games we had to play... we play each player on team twice. Of course, after match is over, and we are ready to leave he walks around to shake all of our hands and say nice match.

He puts his open hand out, I put my fist out, but he won't budge. He wants a handshake. I fist bump his open hand and you can tell he's not happy with that. WTF? He just looks at me weird, and walks away. I don't care, but just though what is the big deal.

And what is with all the hand shaking anyways, we are not at the United Nations signing a new treaty or something. Just say good game and break them.....
Click to expand...
 
M

Meucciplayer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I wonder how we survived the last century. In the late 60's/70's hippies even kissed everybody not to mention other things. Apart from the heavy duty drug users all of them survived.

It doesn't help you a great deal if you try to avoid all germs and use chemicals to get rid of them. The chemicals might cause cancer (only known 20 years later) or at least cause skin problems. Avoiding handshakes does not keep you away from other surfaces possibly containing germs. Like food packaging (the sneezer just walked by or inspected it in the supermarket etc.), door knobs, pool chalk lying on the table, beer glasses handled by the waiter or not properly cleaned ... think about the hundreds to thousands of items you touch daily.

Think about it. Your only real options would be:

a) wearing a hazmat suit and become a Howard Hughes-like character like in his last days

b) take it easier and wash your OWN hands more often with just plain soap and water - more so before you eat stuff or pick your nose :)

I don't believe in avoiding handshakes - only exception being if the other person is obviously sick. Else I just do what I've been doing since the '60s and '70s. And yes, I survived quite a few colds/flus and I don't believe there is a convincing answer to avoiding them altogether.
 
billy bones

billy bones

billy bones
Silver Member
pt109 said:
Okay, you buncha germophobes....
....what you guys need is a healthy immune system....
...that’s the system that tells germs to put up their dukes....
...if you overly avoid germs....you end up vulnerable to just about everything.
Click to expand...

lmao.. exactly what I was thinking. The human immune system is designed to build an immunity to that which it is exposed to. If you live your life in a bubble, mother nature will damn sure bust it for you. This entire thread sounds like a family reunion of the descendants of Howard Huges… good grief Get a Grip
 
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