Washing Your Hands, Probably The Best Way To Protect Yourself From The Novel Coronavirus

Case Studies shows that hands are one of the main pathways of germ transmission. Hands normally carry lots of germs and should be washed after visiting the toilet, before handling food, when visibly dirty and last but not least after coughing or sneezing into your hands. Germs from unwashed hands can also be transferred to other objects, like handrails, table tops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.

With all that is happening around the world with the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV), washing your hands properly is probably one of the most important things you can do to help prevent and control the spread of germs. In addition, good hand hygiene will reduce the risk of things like flu and food poisoning being passed from person to person. People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs (like bacteria or viruses) can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick.

Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures to avoid the transmission of harmful germs and prevent infections.

The steps below explain how to wash your hands properly in less than a minute:

1. Wet hands with water

2. Apply enough soap to cover all surfaces of hand

3. Rub hands palm to palm

4. Right palm over back of left hand with interlaced fingers and vice versa

5. Palm to palm with fingers interlaced

6. Back of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked

7. Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa

8. Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa

9. Rinse hands with water

10. Dry hands thoroughly with a single use towel

11. Use towel to turn off tap

12. Your hands are now clean!

Remember, germs (like bacteria or viruses) can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth & we tend to touch our faces constantly throughout the day. This can often be after touching shared surfaces in public like handrails, lift buttons or even our personal devices such as smartphones, computers and water bottles. As it would be very challenging to constantly disinfect every surface we touch, it is therefore important to wash our hands properly as often as needed and before doing things like eating a meal or after coughing or sneezing into your hands.

Protect yourself and those around you by practising good personal hygiene & social responsibility like wearing a mask when you're feeling unwell.

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Sources :

https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Hand_Hygiene_Why_How_and_When_Brochure.pdf

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/hand-hygiene

https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/why-handwashing.html