Germ-Free Nation

Every time I visit the U.S., I'm always amused by some Crazy New Trend™ from the United States. I try to make a note of them, because they will usually take hold in Germany a couple years later. I can then impress friends with my seemingly uncanny abilities to peer into Germany's future.

This trip's Crazy New Trend™ is the ubiqitous presence of waist-high, stand-alone dispensers of hand sanitizing gel. Here's one found in the lobby of a nice hotel:

 

I've also seen them in government buildings, university buildings, and even outside a church. Americans take personal hygiene seriously, but is it really necessary to sanitize your hands every 30 minutes? What does it say about a luxury hotel or church that it details this sentinel of purity to remind guests that their extremities are teeming with filth? "Foul plebeians, you are presumed skanky until proven germless!", the myserious orb seems to command, "Anoint yourself with the balm of Hygieia!"

At any rate, we know one thing: If it's happening in the U.S. now, it's coming to Germany soon. Teutons, behold your future!

Comments

[anna]

I also like the sanitary wipes at supermarkets, to wipe off the shopping carts...
Even though I assume that those would accumulate too much trash for the Germans ;)

[Lassez]

I guess Germany has become a little faster at catching up with America, these things are everywhere already, schools, universities, our local library and of course at hospitals (where they are mandatory I believe)

[Don]

In regards to American trends, I am friends with a German couple - Reinhart and Katrin. Reinhart worked as a scientist at the City of Hope Children's Hospital in L.A. On his first day of orientation he was given a plastic drink container (for hot and cold) with an anti-spill lid that also has the hospital's logo on it. These containers became fashionable as a result of the environmental move in the mid-90's to help alleviate trash by eliminating the use of paper/foam cups.

When he brought it home, he and his wife could not stop laughing. Their first thoughts were what is with these weird Americans and their plastic cups. Well it wasn't long before Katrin admitted that she takes her plastic cup everywhere with her filled with coffee or juice.

[noribori]

Now I understand why they have automatic doors in Star Trek.

[doppelfish]

They're here already, although many of them get little attention, let alone refills since the end of the last scare (what was that, anyways? Schweinegrippe? Hühnergrippe?). It is true, though, we Germans indeed are trailing the Americans in many a trend by a couple of years, which doesn't stop us from calling Americans crazy.

Sorry: "You Americans™", of course, let's keep up those stereotypes. ;)

[jabgoe]

Tja, I think yout got it there: the US are contagious (infective, epidemic, miasmal, virulent? which one is se right word? leo ist confusing me.)

I wonder when we will catch guantanamo hier in germany.

[Barbara]

They are already here in Germany! I have seen on at entrance of the so called "Jobcenter", which is also the entrance of a police station :)

[CN Heidelberg]

I just saw a few of these in Ireland, too. Not in bathrooms, but public areas like shops/lobbies.

[mawa]

At my university, there have been Sterillium dispensers in every bathroom since the last flu craze (i.e. summer of 2009).