SafetyTies and SafetyScarves of SafeSmart help reduce the spread of H1N1

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), H1N1 - better known as the swine flu - was widespread in 48 states as of Oct. 18-24. The CDC's website offers guidelines, from cough etiquette to keeping sick workers at home, for healthcare professionals and the public on how to minimize spread of the H1N1 influenza.

Missing from this list, however, is a safety precaution instituted in Mexico during the height of the pandemic this summer: ban the wearing of neckties. While neckties have been worn by medical professionals for centuries, they have been clinically proven to harbor enough harmful bacteria to transmit illness.

Well before the swine flu outbreak, Florida-based SafeSmart developed a line of antimicrobial ties that has been widely accepted in healthcare, food service and other industries. SafetyTies, made of 100 percent nano-treated silk, have a built-in barrier that keeps dirt, liquids and bacteria out. In independent studies performed at BCS Laboratories of Gainesville, Florida, laboratory testing indicated that SafetyTies are 99.95 percent resistant to H1N1 influenza A.

Based on these results - and on increased demand for bacteria-resistant accessories - SafeSmart has expanded its product line to offer SafetyScarves. With the same antimicrobial properties as SafetyTies, SafetyScarves are available in two designs - HAI SafetyScarf and Swine Flu SafetyScarf.

"In our effort to stop the spread of H1N1, we need every tool at our disposal," said SafeSmart co-founder April Strider. "While vaccinations and handwashing are obviously the first line of defense, SafetyTies and SafetyScarves are an easy, sensible - and fashionable - way for individuals to help reduce the spread of H1N1."