For this year’s cold and flu season, Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta, Ga., USA, has launched its HealthSmart website, which gives detailed information on seasonal infections. The new website contains videos, infographics, and posters designed to educate businesses and employees about fighting germs. 

 

 

 

A lot is at stake, G-P notes—the cost of lost productivity in the U.S. due to the common cold is near $25 billion. "Businesses tell us they want creative, educational resources to help their employees avoid infection. So, we designed our HealthSmart website with great tips like proper hand washing and pointers on everyday germ hotspots, from schools to hospitals and office buildings to restaurants," the company reported. 

 

G-P points to one quick statistic to illustrate why this is important—only one-third (39%) of U.S. adults report always washing their hands after coughing or sneezing. For the best defense, this G-P infographic  shows how washing works when done right, but here’s the gist: 

• Wet hands with clean, running water 
• Add soap and create a rich lather 
• Rub hands together for 20 seconds 
• Rinse hands well under running water 
• Dry hands with a clean paper towel 
• Use the paper towel to turn off the faucet.