Internet Cafes To Sanitise Computers, Furnishings To Prevent Flu

[george]

Internet cafes to sanitise computers, furnishings to prevent flu

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s Ministry of Culture has instructed internet cafes to disinfect their equipment and furnishings to prevent the possible spread of the H1N1 flu among teenagers.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Veera Rojpojanarat on Monday inspected computer game shops in the Huaykwang and Kaset areas of Bangkok after being advised of the need by the Ministry of Public Health.

Computer game shops are under responsibility of the ministry of culture.

Mr. Veera instructed internet and computer game shops to cleanse any equipment that could facilitate the spread of the virus, such as keyboards and accessories. Owners and operators were also instructed to ventilate their shops and not let air-conditioning collect stale air.

Internet users with obvious symptoms of flu will be asked to leave, for the benefit of the public.

If shop owners don’t cooperate in preventive measures, their action may affect the processes to renew their licenses when they expire, Mr. Veera said.

Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nop-amornbodi said most flu patients being treated are teenagers, and many said they had become ill with flu-like symptoms after playing computer games at internet shops.

The public health ministry cooperated with the culture ministry to work with internet shops on disinfecting equipment to prevent the further spread of the virus.

-- TNA 2009-07-08

[stumonster]

to ventilate their shops and not let air-conditioning collect stale air.

I did not think this was airborne ? maybe some disinfection is required to prevent foo

[Scott]

And apparently this only affects internet shops in Bangkok?

[Jingthing]

I did not think this was airborne ?

It is.

[MHM]

Maybe it will help cut down computer viruses. Not too sure about swine flu

[Rama]

Remember the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe? Remember telephone sanitizers? It's started.......

[aeon]

yes if flu mutate and combined with computer viruses you can imagine with all the spamming and sneezing what will happen... roche and apple will dominate the world!

[Samuian]

well besides all the bickering - it's a well known fact that especially

keyboards and public phones are a heaven for all kinds of germs...

BBC NEWS | Health | Lifting the lid on computer filth

12 Mar 2004 ... Office workers are exposed to more germs from their phones and keyboards than toilet seats, scientists reveal. ...

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3505414.stm -

Ew, bugs! Computer keyboards and mice are havens for germs

Like telephone handsets and door knobs, keyboards and mice are important points where germs get transferred from one person to another. ...

www.seattlepi.com/business/211020_putergerm07.html

in times of an international health threat....

why not make the public more alert and take that extra little care...?

it comes down to declare the "safe sex" campaign nonsense!?

[Datsun240Z]

Yeah I heared those facts before.

[doggie888888]

Is swine flu a virus? Are the disinfectants used generally anti-bacterial? So how does anti-bacterial disinfectants actually address the swine flu virus, other than to allay the public's mis-placed panic? I suppose it's good practice to disinfect these things anyway and address the dirty air cons, with or without swine flu lurking.

[Scott]

Keyboards are pretty germ-laden items. All that touching, greasy fingers, boogers from the nose and the occasional sneeze which hits them directly. I don't know if AC contributes to the flu, but I am sure it doesn't help. It's a good idea for places that are frequented by large numbers of people (especially in small areas), like internet shops and probably 7/11-type shops to clean those AC filters and maybe a disinfecting spray quite frequently.

I've wondered about movie theatres as well.

[Datsun240Z]

So comes it's a hot country, where viruses spread more easily than the cold countries

[webfact]

Scan with XXX Anti Virus each computer...? Joke aside.

But let me come to the point. Are net cafes swine flu sources? Every public place is a source.

This is a good excuse for the government to close them!

I can think of other places which need "to be cleaned" first - example: Morchit station

Edited July 8, 2009 by webfact

[Chang_paarp]

It will be one of the few times the inside of the internet cafes will get a proper clean and airing. Don't knock it.

I think it is sponsored by the people who sell keyboards, mice and other bits. Can you imagine how many of these devices will stop working when the grime that holds them together is removed?

[Thai at Heart]

Absolutely, these places should get a good clean.

With "what" is another issue? I can just imagine all the claims for broken keyboards and mice now.

Getting rid of the communal cups in schools as mentioned before would be a good start and a good dose of handwashing.

That said, don't the BTS, Subway and most forms of public transport deserve a good DAILY clean also? Cinemas?

[Steele404]

those horrid internet cafe' should be cleaned and sanitized every hour of the day REGARDLESS of threats from viruses and diseases.

have you ever seen the keys A, S and D and the left mouse button and the spacebar on the keyboard?????? the nasties on it were enough to feed a whole generation of cockroaches for a year