New disinfecting techniques and the development of germ-resistant surfaces may help save the human race from what is predicted to be the most common cause of human death in about 30 years—antibiotic-resistant germs, Newsweek reports.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 2 million people a year are sickened in the United States by bacteria or fungi resistant to major antibiotics, and that 23,000 die from their infections. The World Health Organization predicts that worldwide death rates from drug-resistant germs will increase from the current 700,000 per year to 10 million by 2050, surpassing cancer, heart disease, and diabetes to become the main cause of death in h...
Germs spread easily when people spend a lot of time indoors, in close proximity to each other. This is especially true in the workplace, where several factors combine to create a perfect storm of contagiousness: numerous people occupying a closed space, highly trafficked common areas, and, sometimes, a culture that discourages sick employees from staying home.
According to a recent survey Staples conducted of workers throughout the United States, 44 percent had the flu last season, and nearly half of those people (45 percent) believe they caught it from a co-worker. Moreover, employees report taking an average of just 2.7 sick days to recover from the flu, meaning they&...
