Researchers from MIT say that washing your hands could help curb a pandemic by up to 69% — and that includes flu-like illnesses such as coronavirus.[1]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) consider hand hygiene as the most efficient and cost‐effective way to limit disease propagation.
It’s important to wash your hands
- after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
- Before touching you mouth, nose and eyes
- before, during and after food prep or eating
- after using the toilet
- changing a diaper
- If you’re caring for someone who is sick
- treating a cut or wound
- touching an animal or handling garbage
- Visiting public places like malls and parks
HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS PROPERLY
To wash hands properly:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water.
- Apply soap and lather well for 20 seconds (time taken to sing the happy birthday song) or longer if the dirt is ingrained.
- Rub hands together rapidly across all surfaces of your hands and wrists.
- Don’t forget the backs of your hands, your wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
- If possible, remove rings and watches before you wash your hands, or ensure you move the rings to wash under them.
- Rinse well under running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel.
- It is best to use paper towels (or single-use cloth towel).
- Dry under any rings, as they can be a source of future contamination if they remain moist.
Good hand washing is the first line of defense against the spread of many illnesses.
Always remember, the little time that you spend while taking this simple precaution can save you and your family from catching the infection and also prevent you from being a source of spread.
Keep visiting this space to get evidence based, verified advice on Coronavirus infection and its prevention.
Source:
[1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/risa.13438
