Healthy Hands for the Holidays

Healthy Hands for the Holidays

National Hand-washing Awareness Week is committed to helping individuals remain healthy one hand wash at a time. Hand-washing is one of the most important basic hygiene prevention methods to keep YOU healthy! Let’s look at some hands-on tips in honor of National Hand-washing Awareness Week, which takes place each year during the first week of December (December 2nd-8th, 2018).

Hand-washing Awareness Week Activities

  1. “All hands on deck” – Do it right
    Experts recommend washing your hands with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds! It is recommend that you sing ”Happy Birthday” twice to allow enough time to remove and rinse away germs Be sure to get lots of soap all over your hands. Make sure to also clean the back of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails. Dry them using a clean towel.
  2. “Wash your hands” – Memorize the five steps
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls hand washing “a do-it-yourself vaccine” and suggests remembering five easy steps: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry.
  3. Four “Handy” Principles of Hand Awareness

Follow these guidelines of Hand Awareness, which have been endorsed by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Practitioners (AAFP), to reduce contagious diseases:

  1.  Wash your hands when they are dirty and BEFORE eating
    2.    DO NOT cough into your hands
    3.    DO NOT sneeze into your hands
    4.    Above all, DO NOT put your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth

Can YOU Handle These Facts?

  1. Hand-washing equals happiness

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hand-washing can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related illnesses and 1 in 5 infections, including the flu. Clean hands prevents sickness!

  1. The dirty secret of public restrooms

The CDC also reports that only 31 percent of men and 65 percent of women washed their hands after using a public restroom. Wow- Wash your hands after using the restroom.

  1. Sneezes are mini hurricanes

A typical human sneeze exits the body at about 200 miles per hour and emits around 40,000 droplets into the air. Sneeze into your elbow or arm and wash your hands after you blow your nose!

 

Facts and information from: https://nationaltoday.com/national-handwashing-awareness-week/

Contact Community Health at 715-478-4355