Do Viruses Spread at the Gas Pump?

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Gas pump handles and keypads see a lot of hands every day, along with many other public surfaces like door handles, shopping carts, mailboxes and hand dryers. While transmission of viruses is far less likely by contact with surfaces than direct contact with an infected person, some viruses can live on surfaces up to 48 hours, or even 72 hours on hard surfaces like metal and plastic. Consequently, it doesn’t hurt to be careful, especially if you or people around you have particular health risk factors.

These are simple precautions to protect yourself and minimize spreading germs when you get gas.

Clean gas pump handles and keypads

Your first opportunity to decrease potential exposure is to clean the surfaces before you touch them. You could keep a package of antibacterial alcohol-based wipes in your vehicle and use one to clean up those spots that everyone touches, such as handles and keypads. This might not only help you, but also the next person to use the pump.

Wear gloves when pumping gas

Keeping disposable latex or nitrile gloves in your vehicle can be handy for many unexpected dirty jobs, including putting gas in your car. Gloves protect your hands from picking up germs you might transfer to your steering wheel, shifter or anything you’ll be touching afterward. Just be sure to discard the gloves when you’re finished pumping. An added benefit: No more gas smell that inevitably lingers on your hand for the next few hours.

Sanitize your hands after pumping gas

Scrubbing your hands with hand-sanitizer after gassing up is another way to reduce the spread of germs. While hand-washing is best, sanitizer can be a handy stopgap measure to employ right there in your vehicle, before putting your hands back on your steering wheel, shifter or cell phone.

Wash your hands

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says regular hand-washing with soap and water is one of the most basic and best ways to prevent the spread of germs. Because it may be difficult wash your hands immediately after pumping gas, the other protective measures mentioned above can be your first line of defense.

Next, find out if you should be disinfecting your mail.