There are a host of very important reasons to wash your hands regularly throughout the day. It’s necessary to prevent a whole lot more than just COVID-19, as proper hand washing prevents the spread of germs, including some dangerous ones that can be antibiotic-resistant. So, follow the instructions below to make sure that you’re maintaining healthy hand hygiene, keeping yourself and others safer and healthier.
The Importance Of Proper Hand Hygiene
There are plenty of reasons to wash your hands regularly. Staying healthy will make sure that you don’t miss out on special events or special tasks due to illness.
Making sure that your hands are washed regularly can protect you from one in five respiratory illnesses and one in three diarrheal illnesses. By simply washing your hands regularly, you can defend yourself and others from suffering from these health issues.
Germs spread from touching your face, eating with unwashed hands, touching pubic surfaces and from coughing or sneezing into one’s hands.
Proper Handwashing Steps
Follow these five handwashing steps to protect yourself from germs and illness.
Step 1: First, apply warm water to your hands. At this stage, you’re just wetting your hands, but it’s important for the next step.
Step 2: Apply soap and lather your hands with it, making sure to scrub the under your fingernails,the back of your hands and between your fingers.
Step 3: Rub your hands together, scrubbing them well for at least 20 seconds. If your wet hands make it difficult to operate a timer, sing the “Happy Birthday” song two times in a row to make sure you’re washing your hands for the proper amount of time.
Step 4: Wash your hands off well, scrubbing your hands together and rinsing off all of the soap under running warm water.
Step 5: Dry your hands with a paper towel and use that paper towel to turn off the sink and to open the bathroom door with — this will avoid getting germs from the sink handle and bathroom door on your newly-cleaned hands.
Follow these steps to proper handwashing, and wash your hands regularly, as a surefire method of reducing your risk of getting sick and getting others sick.
