Re: [Harp-L] Re: Harp Hygiene

[Bill Hines <billhines4@xxxxxxxxx>]

David is correct on that, that's what your immune system is for and what 
it does. Also I have read that viruses/germs can only live from a matter 
of seconds to hours (up to 48) outside a human host, depending on the 
type of virus and the surface and climatic conditions. So more likely, 
this is a myth, like the one about going out without your coat or cold 
weather can make you sick. That said, viruses and germs are getting 
smarter and more robust all the time. I believe you guys who thought you 
got sick again from your harps probably just got the next round of 
whatever was going around. This was a bad year for it.

Bill Hines

On 3/12/2014 4:40 PM, David Fairweather wrote:
> I'm no doctor,  but I tend to believe that you can NOT reinfect yourself
> with your own viruses or bacteria that have been deposited on a harmonica.
>     I believe that once your immune system has defeated a germ,  that germ
> has no chance of making a successful comeback because your immune system
> knows it and is ready for it.   That's not to say that you might not feel
> some effects of the "battle" that will take place when the re-infection is
> attempted, but its a battle that particular germ will not win unless your
> immune system is compromised in which case all bets are off.