Sanitary vs. Sterilization

A coworker of mine is a bit on the compulsive side when it comes to germs.  They enter a room and they open a window to allow fresh air to circulate (even if it's freezing outside). They'll use tissue to grab and open door handles.

It's gotten to the point where there's little rhyme or reason for the behavior.  They are so terrified of getting sick that they go to great lengths to avoid anything that remotely could get them sick.  They boast that they haven't been sick in years... And in my mind, I imagine the person's white blood cells are bored as hell because there's really nothing to kill...  But I digress.

I have nothing against this mentality of exercising aseptic techniques in the workplace.  But oftentimes you have to recognize that there are serious practicality issues with this sort of behavior.  Schools are not hospitals, they do not need to be sterile environments.  And if anything the worst infections originate from hospitals where they constantly use antibiotics and develop resistant strains of bacteria.  Nosocomial infection is one of the biggest problems in hospitals.

Sanitary is the true goal in keeping a school environment clean.  Sterility is not.  I don't argue with these people, they've made up their minds to the point where nothing you say will change their minds.  I can't talk badly about aseptic techniques in school because I've had my own days in school when I was sick or when students came in sick.  For me, I don't worry too much about how goofy purple, nitrile gloves look...  But that's only once in a blue moon.  I can't imagine keeping up this routine on a daily basis...