Every year from December 4-10 we celebrate the National Handwashing Awareness Week in an effort to spread awareness regarding the importance of hand hygiene.

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Hand hygiene is a major issue everywhere but has the biggest impact on healthcare, hospitality, and food sectors.

Everyone knows that we should wash hands – but do they know the health risk associated with not washing hands?

But with this platform, we believe that communication is the key to encouraging the right behavior among us. The right type of communication could help in providing awareness regarding hand hygiene.

So here are a few useful tips for that comes under the hand washing awareness campaign on the occasion of National Handwashing Awareness Week 2018;

• Always remember to wash your hands when they are dirty as well as before eating.

• Do not cough or sneeze into your hands.

• Do not put your hands into your eyes, mouth, and ears.

• Help in offering knowledge to everyone regarding the health risks associated with poor hand hygiene.

Why Hand Hygiene is Important?

Simply dirty hands are the quickest mode of spreading germs and causes sickness.

We all use our hands to touch everything around us, throughout the day. Lots of things have contaminants that are finding their way onto your hands such as when you handle raw meats, grab a doorknob, work at your office desk or touch a dirty sponge.

When it comes to picking up bacteria or germs on your hands, this can happen on just about any surface. And, when it does, you’re at risk for contracting foodborne illnesses from pathogens such as Listeria and E. coli, along with other flu viruses, respiratory, colds, and diarrheal illness.

You can take time to wash your hands frequently, properly, and thoroughly with first-line defense against foodborne illness and other sicknesses.

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How do I Properly Wash My Hands?

For effective hand washing, you can follow these steps:

• Wet your hands thoroughly with water.

• Use soap and lather very well.

• Scrub your hands, between fingers, backs of hands, wrists, and forearms with soap for at least 10-15 seconds.

• Scrub under your nails as well.

• Rinse completely under clean, running water.

• Dry your hands with an air dryer or a towel.

• Avoid touching dirty surfaces.

When Should I Wash My Hands?

You should always go and wash your hands when;

• Your hands are visibly soiled.

• After using washrooms.

• After sneezing on your hands.

• Before and after eating, drinking, handling food, or smoking.

• After touching raw meat, fish, or poultry.

• After handling garbage or touching surfaces such as cleaning cloths and garbage bins.

• Caring or visiting for sick people.

• Before taking medications.

• After contact with blood or body fluids such as saliva or vomiting.

• Before removing and inserting eye contact lenses.

• Handling pets and animals.

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