World Hand Hygiene Day is observed every year on May 5th, which aims to raise awareness and educate people about the importance of hand hygiene. The day encourages everyone to come together to discuss the significance of maintaining good hand hygiene. Keeping clean and hygienic hands is an easy and cost-effective way to stay healthy and avoid infections.
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Here are 5 practical tips to help you to maintain hand hygiene:
1. Wash your hands the right way: To properly wash your hands, first wet them with clean water, apply soap, and lather by rubbing your hands together, making sure to scrub all areas for at least 20 seconds[1]. Rinse with clean water and dry with a towel or air dryer.
2. Never miss out during these times: To maintain hygiene, it is important to wash your hands before and after food preparation, before eating, after taking care of a sick person, changing diapers, picking up after pets, and after using the bathroom[2].
3. Keep sanitizers handy: If you don’t have soap and water, you can use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol instead[3]. Apply it to your hands and rub all surfaces for 20 seconds until they are fully dry [1]. Although soap and water are more effective, hand sanitizer is still better than nothing.
4. Sneeze and cough the right way: Germs can spread from person to person or through contact with contaminated surfaces. It’s important to cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and dispose of it correctly. If you don’t have a tissue, cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow instead of your hands[1].
5. Take care of your hands: Frequent hand washing and using sanitizers can result in dry and rough skin on your hands, so it is recommended to apply moisturizer after drying them[4].
Final Takeaway
Handwashing has always been an effective way to stay healthy and safe, especially in preventing COVID-19, flu, and other contagious diseases. Healthy hands mean a healthy you.
Also, the best way to prevent the spread of any disease is not to neglect your symptoms and seek timely attention. Talk to an expert now!
(The article is reviewed by Dr. Swati Mishra, Medical Editor)
References:
1. CDC. Handwashing in Communities: Clean Hands Save Lives. Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
2. National Health Service. How to wash your hands. Available online:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/
3. FDA. If Soap and Water Are Not Available, Hand Sanitizers May Be a Good Alternative. Available online: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/if-soap-and-water-are-not-available-hand-sanitizers-may-be-good-alternative
4. Günter Kampf and Joachim Ennen. Regular use of a hand cream can attenuate skin dryness and roughness caused by frequent hand washing. Available online: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1397860/