With cold weather in our wake, we are well on our way to the flu season and all the fun that comes with it.  Even if you’ve been immune to the flu for years, you are likely to pick up a little bit of a runny nose, cough or dry skin.

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If not, we’ve got some great germ spreading ideas to get you in the mood.  Let’s take a closer look and see if we can help you get back into the pill taking, juice drinking season.

Spreading Germs with Style

Spreading germs is not a task for the faint of heart. Not just anyone can spread germs equally throughout the office for everyone to enjoy.  Here are some ideas that you can share with your co-workers to get everyone in the sharing mood so that you can all enjoy flu season together.

1. Do not wash your hands. No matter what, keep those hands unwashed.  Tell everyone else that washing your hands is a myth and that it doesn’t work anyways because the germs have become immune to soap.
2. If you need to sneeze, do it in the open air or on your hands and then rub any residue on your sleeves, pants legs or wherever else is convenient.  Never waste a tissue that you don’t really need.
3. Go to work when you’re sick.  Your boss will be glad you’re still willing to work and it’s just another way to share the love.
4. Sneak a sip out of your neighbor’s cup, share his spoon and plate, and anything else you can think of. Ignore any protests because, after all, it saves on office costs.
5. Put your mouth over the water fountain spout or office water filtration system.  It’s the best way to get a refreshing drink without all the effort and no one even has to know, unless of course they catch you.
6. Falling food shouldn’t be wasted and you know it. So when your co-worker drops something and is going to throw it away, get that piece of food before it’s gone. A little dirt won’t hurt.
7. Attend your favorite sporting event, concert, or gym class with a runny nose and make sure to high-five as many people as possible.  Leave the tissues at home.
8. Go to a buffet and skip the dinnerware.  That’s right. You loved eating with your hands as a kid so it should be just about as much fun as an adult. Just head up to the buffet line and scoop the food with your hands.  If anyone asks what you’re doing, make up some allergy excuse, it gets them every time.
9. Sick of waiting for food to thaw in the fridge? Make a designated spot on the counter for it to sit while you shop for the rest of your dinner items so it will be ready when you get home.  You could even leave it out overnight and then worry about cleaning later when you’re feeling extra lazy.
10. When you’re staying with family during the holiday season, share washcloths, a toothbrush, hairbrush and anything else you may have forgotten. It makes packing so much easier and sharing saves money and natural resources.

If you can do all of these things without  getting caught or in trouble, I’m sure you won’t have any trouble at all finding other ways to spread the love in the form of germs during the cold and flu season.

Catching the Culprit

Oops, we may not have the right audience if you’re looking for the germ spreading culprit. If so, you now have the material you need to catch them in the act even though these are just of the few tactics they may employ to get you and the rest of the office sick.

Whether or not you catch the germ guru, you should always keep the office germ free by supplying Kleenex, enough dinnerware for everyone to have their own plates and utensils, cleaning supplies, disinfectant and possibly even training for health safety issues.

Last, but not least, send home anyone that is in danger of spreading even more germs to the office.  Keeping the office clean and free of germs should be your top priority so that the company can function properly.

Heidi Rothert writes content for companies such as Superior Water and Air to drive traffic to their website and improve consumer awareness.