Handwashing revisited to prevent flu transmission

There's the rub...


Handwashing. We have been told to do it since we were tiny children. We know we need to wash our hands before we eat or after we use the restroom. Handwashing is an extremely effective way of preventing colds and flu, but only when done effectively and only when done on a frequent basis. Children today are taught to sing the verses of "Row, Row, Row your boat" or of the alphabet song " A,B,C,D,E,F,G..." in order to promote handwashing for the proper amount of time.

From the CDC website:
The most important thing that you can do to keep from getting sick is to wash your hands.

By frequently washing your hands you wash away germs that you have picked up from other people, or from contaminated surfaces, or from animals and animal waste.

What happens if you do not wash your hands frequently?
You pick up germs from other sources and then you infect yourself when you

* Touch your eyes
* Or your nose
* Or your mouth.

One of the most common ways people catch colds is by rubbing their nose or their eyes after their hands have been contaminated with the cold virus.

You can also spread germs directly to others or onto surfaces that other people touch. And before you know it, everybody around you is getting sick.

The important thing to remember is that, in addition to colds, some pretty serious diseases -- like hepatitis A, meningitis, and infectious diarrhea -- can easily be prevented if people make a habit of washing their hands.

When should you wash your hands?
You should wash your hands often. Probably more often than you do now because you can't see germs with the naked eye or smell them, so you do not really know where they are hiding.

It is especially important to wash your hands

* Before, during, and after you prepare food
* Before you eat, and after you use the bathroom
* After handling animals or animal waste
* When your hands are dirty, and
* More frequently when someone in your home is sick.


What is the correct way to wash your hands?

* First wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Place the bar soap on a rack and allow it to drain.
* Next rub your hands vigorously together and scrub all surfaces.
* Continue for 10 - 15 seconds or about the length of a little tune. It is the soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs.
* Rinse well and dry your hands.

It is estimated that one out of three people do not wash their hands after using the restroom. So these tips are also important when you are out in public.

I now carry the liquid hand sanitizer in my car, as well as antibacterial baby type wipes. After going to the bank, the grocery store or the pharmacy, I wash my hands before staring to drive. Since I wear glasses, I am very conscious now of how often my hands go my face, and I have increased my handwashing in response to this.

The other place I am becoming a little obsessive about cleanliness is at work. I work with many other people coming in contact with the surfaces that I touch. I start out my workday, by cleaning the phone, the computer and keyboard, the desk and other items that I know I will be touching throughout my shift. I place a fresh box of Kleenex on the desk, so everyone can use and cover the sneezes or coughs. (If you do not have tissue, the proper way to cough is into your elbow area, not into your hands. Your hand will take the germs from your cough and pass it to the next surface they touch). To clean surfaces at work I use an antibacterial wipe that comes prepackaged in individual packs, but any good cleanser and rubbing will reduce the germs markedly. Good way just to prevent colds from spreading. Dont't forget wash your hands frequently!