Dec. 6, 2023
It’s National Handwashing Awareness Week
National Handwashing Week, held the first week of December, was established to encourage frequent and proper handwashing. This simple, yet powerful practice can help keep us and others healthy. There are key times and specific ways to wash our hands to prevent getting sick or spreading germs to others.
Germs are everywhere and can transfer from unwashed hands into foods and drinks when people prepare or consume them or from objects like doorknobs, tables or toys to another person’s hands. The germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth, which people often touch without realizing it. Handwashing with soap removes germs from the hands and helps prevent sickness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises using soap and water and washing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Handwashing throughout the day can help keep germs at bay, but proper washing should be done after using the bathroom; before, during and after preparing food; before eating; before and after caring for someone who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea; after touching garbage and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Scrub your hands before and after treating a cut/wound and after touching animals (or their food or waste).
Handwashing may be obvious, but there is a proper, five-step method:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water and apply soap.
- Rub your hands together to make a lather. Scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.
- Scrub for at least 20 seconds.
- Rinse your hands well under running water.
- Dry your hands with a clean towel and use the towel to turn off the faucet.
While washing with soap and water is ideal, especially if your hands are visibly soiled, you can use alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol to quickly reduce the number of germs on your hands. Remember to follow these steps when using hand sanitizer:
- Apply the sanitizer to the palm of your hand.
- Rub your hands together.
- Rub the sanitizer over all surfaces of your hands and fingers and continue rubbing until your hands are dry.
Wash your hands frequently to stay as healthy as possible. If you are sick, you should stay home, and remember, should you need medical attention, Lee Health is here to provide the care you need. Visit www.LeeHealth.org/get-care to find the right place for the care you need. Rub the sanitizer over all surfaces of your hands and fingers and continue rubbing until your hands are dry.
Wash your hands frequently to stay as healthy as possible. If you are sick, you should stay home, and remember, should you need medical attention, Lee Health is here to provide the care you need. Visit www.LeeHealth.org/get-care to find the right place for the care you need.