Hand hygiene is one of the most important things that you can do to prevent the spread of illness and infection. Whether you are at home, at work, or out in the community, good hand hygiene practices can help keep you healthy. Here are a few tips for effective hand hygiene.
Wash Your Hands Often
The best way to cut down on the spread of illness is by washing your hands often. Whether you are cooking, cleaning, or just handling daily tasks, make sure you wash your hands between tasks.
When possible, use water as warm as you can handle and soap to wash your hands for about twenty seconds. Handwashing is said to be an effective way to reduce the spread of respiratory infections, such as colds and flu.
If you cannot access soap and water, hand sanitiser is a good alternative. Make sure to use a hand sanitising gel that contains 60% alcohol or more. Rub the sanitiser on all surfaces on your fingers and hands and continue rubbing until dry.
Hand sanitisers are not as effective as soap and water at removing dirt and debris from your hands, but they can help to reduce the number of germs on your skin.
By washing your hands often and using hand sanitiser when soap and water are not available, you can help to prevent the spread of illness.
Be Mindful of What You Touch
In addition to washing your hands frequently, it is also important to be mindful of what you come in contact with. Don’t touch any area on your face, because germs and bacteria can enter your body and make you sick. If you must touch your face, make sure to wash your hands first.
Additionally, try to avoid touching common surfaces such as door handles, railings, and countertops. If you must touch these surfaces, make sure to wash or sanitise your hands afterwards.
Cover Your Coughs and Sneezes
Covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough is one of the easiest ways to reduce the spread of illness. When you sneeze or cough into your hands, you risk contaminating surfaces that others may come in contact with.
To avoid this, sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow or into a tissue that you can dispose of immediately. By keeping your hands clean and by covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, you can help to prevent the spread of germs and keep yourself and others healthy.
