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Wash Your Hands
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Daily Bread
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him. Lamentations 3:25 |
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Soap and water are flu fighters.
Consider for a moment the things your hands touch every day. Some germ magnets — like doorknobs and dollar bills — are more obvious than others. But there are worse culprits you might never have considered. Take the handle of your grocery cart, for instance. It’s got more germs that your typical portable restroom. And next time you want to avoid your sneezing co-worker, don’t think you’re safe retreating to your desk. If your desk is like the average workspace, it’s got more bacteria on it than a toilet seat in a public restroom. Luckily, you’ve got some strong weapons against these unavoidable germs: soap and water. That’s right – the easiest way to stay healthy this season is one of the oldest tricks in the book – washing your hands. Hand washing suspends microorganisms and mechanically removes them by rinsing with water, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The fundamental principle of hand washing is removal, not killing. It’s important to follow proper hand-washing procedures to remove as many germs as possible. Use soap and warm, running water to lather hands. Rub your hands together vigorously for 20 seconds, according to the CDC. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Pay close attention to the nail areas and the area between the fingers. You should wash your hands after using the restroom, before eating, before and after preparing food and any other time they need cleaning. And make sure you properly dry your hands. Wet hands have been known to transfer germs much more readily than dry hands or hands not washed at all, according to the CDC. When using a single-use paper or single-use cloth towel, make sure to dry each hand for at least 10 seconds. (Do not re-use towels.) When using an air dryer, make sure to dry hands for 30-45 seconds. Rub hands while rotating them under the warm air. And don’t forget to carry a bottle of hand sanitizer, so you can get to the germs even when you can’t get to the sink. It does not replace the need for frequent and proper hand washing, according to the CDC, but can be effective in killing certain bacteria and other germs.
Published: December 18, 2006
Source: Centers for Disease Control Writer: Elizabeth Todd Bartholomew, MA, APR  Top of Page |
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