Wash Your Hands
It takes less than a minute, and it’s easily the best way to avoid the common cold, flu and nasty stomach viruses. Yet, surveys show many people still don’t wash their hands as often as they should.
by Mari S. Gold
It takes less than a minute, and it’s easily the best way to avoid the common cold, flu and nasty stomach viruses. Yet, surveys show many people still don’t wash their hands as often as they should.
While 91 percent of American adults say they always wash after using a public restroom, only 83 percent actually do so, according to a 2005 survey by the American Society for Microbiology.
The findings are troubling to health care officials, who say keeping your hands clean is the single most important way to keep from getting sick and spreading illness.
“Hand washing greatly reduces the chance of getting a cold or flu,” says Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association in Washington, D.C. “For most of us, these illnesses are unpleasant. However, for anyone with a compromised immune system or undergoing chemotherapy, the very young or the elderly, these diseases pose a serious health threat.”
Throughout the day, hands collect viruses and bacteria from touching people, contaminated surfaces, foods and animals. Most germs are harmless, but others can cause colds, influenza, food-related illnesses from E. coli and salmonella, and even Hepatitis A and meningitis.
Once you touch a germ-laden person or object, you can infect yourself by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. You then can infect others by touching them or surfaces they also touch such as doorknobs, faucets or money.
Effective hand washing is easy and requires only soap and running water. When these aren’t available, alcohol-based sanitizers and wipes are good alternatives. Health officials say antibacterial soap is no better than regular soap at killing germs.
To wash effectively, wet your hands and lather up with soap, rubbing for at least 15 seconds. When scrubbing, include the wrists, backs of hands and between the fingers. Rinse well and dry with a clean or disposable towel.
Among the times you should wash your hands are:
- After using the bathroom or changing a diaper
- Before eating or preparing food
- After blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing
- Before and after treating a cut or wound.
- Before and after tending to a sick person
- After handling garbage
- After touching pets or other animals or cleaning a cat litter box
Mari S. Gold is a freelance writer in New York.
first appeared: 12/3/2006
Upload Your Own Stories, Photos and Videos
Every week, American Profile magazine brings you stories that celebrate the people and places that make America great.
Now we want to hear your stories and see your photos, videos and even audio.
Start Uploading Now!
Related Stories
If you enjoyed reading this story,
Wash Your Hands, then you might enjoy these other stories.
Discuss this Article
Here are some of the current comments about this article.
To read more or post your own comments,
visit our message boards.
12/5/06 12:19 PM
Washing hands is an excercise in futility. One goes into a restroom and turns on the faucets, washes their hands and turns off the faucets then pushes a lever to release a paper towel, dries their hands and opens the restroom door to go out. Think about it. Turning off the faucets places germs back on one's hands as does the paper towel machine and surely the door knob from others who did not wash their hands. Personally I turn off the faucets with the back of my hand and then use the paper towel to open the restroom door. Think of all the people who work in food service who tough these things and get germs all over again. I've noticed that many restrooms have automatic faucets and paper towel dispensers and some do not have doors to grab a germ filled knob.
Rene - NorCal
12/6/06 11:08 PM
It's a good idea to first pull out some paper towels and let them hang there, then turn on the faucet and wash your hands. Use the paper towel that is already hanging there to turn off the facets. Also use the paper towel to get more paper towel out of the dispenser to dry your hands. And like you, I always use a paper towel to open the door, or just push it open with my back (if there's no doorknob).
That's true if you think about it...it's gross to think of how many people probably don't wash their hands correctly.
Post your comments on this article
