Jerome Berkman wrote about the ‘community pen’ as a potential health hazard in relation to outbreaks of communicable diseases. “The community ballpoint pen can now be found in many places: chained at the local bank, multiple pens in a jar, or on a string at the doctor’s office and/or hospital emergency rooms.
Needless to say, sick people frequent those facilities. Another area of interest is the local pharmacy. Again this is a place where sick people go. You stand in line with people sneezing and coughing in front and in back of you.” He added, “The community pen now has become modernized. It can be found in the form of electronic pens, used for credit card purchases. “
REFERENCE:
Jerome Berkman, latimes.com/tn-vsl guest column germs are mightier than the pen 20150402-story