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Germs are prevalent everywhere, from the surfaces we touch to the hands we shake, making us susceptible to sickness all year round. To expose Americans' fears and the bizarre rituals they undertake to save themselves from getting sick, Vicks(R), a trusted brand for more than 100 years, conducted a recent survey of more than 1000 Americans nationwide to see what steps they take to deal with germs.

"Germs are transferred when we touch something or someone and then touch our mouth, nose or eyes," said Dr. Ronald W. Stout, MD, MPH, medical director for Procter & Gamble's Global Health & Wellbeing Business Unit. "This is true regardless of the season, so it is very important to maintain healthy habits and proper hygiene throughout the year to help prevent the spread of germs."

Maintaining proper hygiene is a lesson that Americans could certainly learn. In fact, half of those surveyed (49 percent) confessed that they don't wash their hands every time after sneezing into them, and men in particular are the main culprits, as 55 percent admit to walking around with germy hands from sneezing. And while 92 percent of people think others will get them sick with their germs, only nine percent believe they will get other people sick.

Although people make excuses for their unhygienic habits by claiming that soap and water are not always readily available, there is a way to help fight against germs. Vicks Early Defense(R) Foaming Hand Sanitizer provides defense during the cold season and beyond at one of your most vulnerable places -- your hands. The hand sanitizer kills 99.9 percent of germs. It helps fight against new germs for up to three hours, under laboratory conditions.

Up to three hours of protection can go a long way in helping the Americans who tend towards the opposite extreme when it comes to germ defense. With one in three (34 percent) believing that they are more likely to get sick from a complete stranger than from someone they know, their concern is not surprising. Fearing that they may come in contact with germs, eighteen percent avoid shaking hands altogether, and four in ten (36 percent) believe public restrooms are the place where most people are careless about spreading germs. In fact, 30 percent admit to using tissues and/or paper towels to open doors, while 16 percent awkwardly use their elbows.

In what could be the most telling sign of Americans' fear of catching a cold or flu, 22 percent will refuse to kiss their significant other, despite the age-old theory that love knows no boundaries.

"Americans no longer have to go to such extreme measures -- like not touching doorknobs or shaking people's hands -- to avoid germs, knowing that they have a way to help defend themselves with Vicks Early Defense Foaming Hand Sanitizer," said Dr. Ronald W. Stout.

The best defense is an early defense, during the cold season and beyond. Vicks Early Defense Foaming Hand Sanitizer is available nationwide. Vicks Early Defense Foaming Hand Sanitizer is available in two sizes, a 1.7 fl oz travel-size (up to 120 pumps) for $2.99 MSRP and a 5.1 fl oz full-size (up to 350 pumps) for $5.75 MSRP. To learn more, log onto www.vicks.com.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Kelton Research on behalf of Vicks Early Defense from September 12 to 17, 2007 among 1,048 adults (aged 18 and over) and 300 moms (aged 18 and over) with children in the household.

About Vicks(R)

As a trusted family brand for more than 100 years and one of the most recognized around the world, Vicks has helped generation after generation feel relief from cough, cold, flu and sinus symptoms. Available in more than 66 Countries and on 5 Continents, the Vicks family includes Vicks Early Defense Nasal Decongestant, Vicks Early Defense Foaming Hand Sanitizer, NyQuil Cold/Flu Liquid Caps, NyQuil Cold/Flu, NyQuil Cough, NyQuil Sinus, Children's NyQuil, DayQuil Cold/Flu Liquid Caps, DayQuil Cold/Flu. DayQuil Cough, DayQuil Sinus, VapoRub Ointment, VapoRub Cream, BabyRub, Casero Chest Congestion Relief, Casero Cough Suppressant, Vicks 44 Sore Throat Lozenges, Vicks 44 Sore Throat Spray, Vicks 44 Cough Relief, Vicks 44 Decongestant, Vicks 44 Expectorant, Vicks 44 Multi-Symptom, Vicks 44 Pediatric Cough & Chest Congestion Relief, Vicks 44 Pediatric Cold & Cough Relief, Sinex Nasal Spray, Sinex 12 Hour Spray, Sinex UltraFine Mist, Sinex 12 Hour UltraFine Mist, Vicks Cough Drops, Vicks Vitamin C Drops, Vicks Vapor Inhaler, Vicks VapoSteam, Vicks Vaporizers, Vicks Humidifiers, Vicks Air Purifier, Vicks Steam Inhalers and Vicks Thermometers products. Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, Vicks is owned and distributed by Procter & Gamble. For more information, visit www.vicks.com.

About Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG)

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including ThermaCare(R), Vicks(R), Pampers(R), Tide(R), Ariel(R), Always(R), Whisper(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Dawn(R), Pringles(R), Folgers(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Lenor(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella(R), Gillette(R), and Braun(R). The P&G community consists of almost 140,000 employees working in more than 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.