The most simple and effective way to stop the spread of infection and disease is washing your hands often. Across the U.S. we are celebrating National Hand Washing Awareness Week during this first week in December. However, Public Health encourages you to recognize this celebration every day to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy. In honor of National Hand Washing Awareness week, December 1
st through the 7
th, here are some interesting facts related to hand washing.
Germs, bacteria, and viruses aren’t visible. Even if your hands appear clean, these fearless invisible agents are everywhere on your skin and surfaces you touch. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization, washing your hands can reduce your risk for sudden diarrhea by 50%. About 80% of communicable diseases, which are generally easily transmitted person to person, are spread through touch. The tips of your fingers and fingernails hold the most germs. While 95% of people claim that they practice some kind of hand hygiene, unfortunately it is closer to 67% of the population that actually regularly clean their hands.
I am Abbie Derksen, a nurse, who works as a Child Care Nurse Consultant. At Trinity Muscatine Public Health, my role is to go to area daycares and preschools to educate children on hand washing. The number one way to stay healthy is to wash your hands. We teach children to use warm water, wet your hands and use liquid or other soap available. Scrub your fingers, nails, palms and wrists for at least 20 seconds then rinse with warm water. Dry your hands with a paper towel and use the towel to turn off the faucet to avoid touching another surface, before tossing your towel in the trash. Those very short 20 seconds can reduce your chance of spending days in bed with a cold, flu or other communicable disease illness. If you have any questions or would like more information on how a Child Care Nurse Consultant can help your child care business or information on staying healthy and understanding communicable diseases, please give us a call at Trinity Muscatine Public Health at (563)263-0122.
