Handwashing Awareness Month | A YAC Student Blog
Divya Warrier is a Junior at Dublin Jerome High School.
Divya Warrier is a Junior at Dublin Jerome High School.
2020 has placed the importance of handwashing in the limelight. One of the best ways to remove germs and prevent sickness is by simply washing your hands regularly. Whether you are at home or out and about, hand washing with soap and water is the best way to eliminate germs on the surface of your hands. Although hand sanitizers may be convenient, they generally do not get rid of all types of germs.
How Do Germs Spread?
Germs can spread through…
Droplets from talking, coughing, and sneezing
Touching the face or “T” zone with unwashed hands
Touching contaminated surfaces or objects
When Should I Wash My Hands?
Before and after using the restroom
Before and after eating food
Before, during, and after making food
After coughing, sneezing, and/or blowing your nose
Before and after caring for the sick or wounded
Before and after touching an animals
After cleaning or touching garbage
Before and after returning home or going to outside settings
How Do I Wash My Hands?
Why Should I Wash My Hands?
Why should I wash my hands after using the restroom?
Fecal matter is the source of many germs such as “Salmonella, E. coli O157, Norovirus… and Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease” (“Show Me the Science,” 2020), which can cause moderate symptoms like diarrhea to more serious symptoms like respiratory infections. These kinds of germs can get onto hands after people use the restroom, pick up pet poop, or change a diaper.
Why should I wash my hands before, during, and after preparing food?
Hand washing before preparing food can prevent the transmission of germs from hands to food. It's important to wash hands during food preparation because some foods contain germs that get cooked away but can be transmitted to other foods if one does not wash their hands in between. This can be seen when a person handles raw meats and then handles foods intended to be eaten raw, like salad. After cooking, wash hands to prevent germs from being transmitted to other surfaces or when eating.
Why Should I Wash My Hands After Sneezing, Coughing, and/or Blowing My Nose?
This is especially apparent now amid the Coronavirus Pandemic. Germs can be transmitted through droplets from coughs, sneezes, or speech. If a person coughs or sneezes onto their hands and then touches an object, their germs will be transmitted to that surface and then onto others who touch that surface. Thus by washing your hands after sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose, you are breaking and preventing this chain of transmission.
Regular handwashing can keep your body safe and healthy by preventing germs from entering your body. That is why an entire month is dedicated to it! Happy Handwashing Awareness Month!