Thanks to lobbyists, there's an
awareness week for everything. This week, December 7-13, it is National
Hand-Washing Awareness Week, and the timing couldn't be better with flu
season around the corner.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control,
"hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the
spread of infection." Why? Well, frankly, because everyone around you
is to some degree covered in germs. Hand-transmission is a critical
factor in the spread of bacteria and viruses causing disease such as
colds, flu and foodborne illness. So be careful whose hands you're
shaking.
A recent national survey conducted
by Wirthlin Worldwide, a research and consulting firm, found that 95 percent of the respondents say they always
wash their hands after going to the bathroom. However, observations
in public restrooms indicate the rate to be much lower.
In New York City, males only
washed their hands 43 percent of the time. Think women are cleaner?
They are, but not by much. The same study showed the ladies washing
after doing their business only 54 percent of the time. However, across
all cities, women did outperform men, washing on average 75 percent of
the time versus 58 percent in the boys room.
What happens if you do not wash
your hands frequently? You can pick up germs from other sources such as
food to hands, hands to food, hands to others and hands to objects.
Your hands will infect you when you touch your eyes, nose or mouth. And
before you know it, you and everyone around you will be getting sick.
Not to scare you, but there are more serious diseases spread through
this type of contact, including hepatitis A, meningitis, and infectious
diarrhea.
So how often should you wash your hands? Often!
Probably more often than you do now. Germs are everywhere – you
can’t see them but they are out there.
Below is a list of when you should wash your hands:
- After coughing or sneezing
(if you covered your nose or mouth with your hand)
- Before, during, and
after you prepare food
- Before you eat, and after
you use the bathroom
- When your hands are dirty,
and
- More frequently when
someone you live with is sick
Good hand hygiene is easy:
- Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available
- Rub hands together, making lather, and scrub for 15-20 seconds (imagine singing "Happy Birthday" two times)
- Rinse hands well under running water
- Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet
- If soap and clean water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub
Most Read