Save Lives: Clean Your Hands
5/5/2023
Jennifer Olson, Aspirus Infectious Disease Nurse Practitioner
Hand hygiene is a
simple yet essential practice that can help protect ourselves and each other
from spreading germs and getting sick.
World Hand Hygiene
Day, recognized annually on May 5, is a time to promote the importance of hand
hygiene in preventing the spread of infectious diseases in both health care and
non-health care settings.
“In health care
settings, hand hygiene is crucial to prevent the transmission of health
care-associated infections (HAIs), says Jennifer
Olson, Aspirus Infectious Disease Nurse Practitioner.
According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HAIs are infections that
patients can acquire while receiving medical care in hospitals, clinics, and
other health care facilities. These infections can be caused by bacteria,
viruses, or fungi, and they can result in serious complications, including
sepsis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections. Olson says, “health care
professionals are constantly cleaning their hands throughout the day, as they
understand the impact that poor hand hygiene can have on their patients’ health
as well as their own.”
In non-health care
settings, hand hygiene is essential to prevent the spread of infectious
diseases such as the flu, the common cold and COVID-19. These diseases can be
spread through respiratory droplets or by touching surfaces contaminated with
the virus, according to the CDC. Regular hand hygiene can reduce the risk of
transmission by removing germs from your hands before you touch your face or
other surfaces.
The World Health
Organization (WHO) recommends that individuals clean their hands with soap and
water for at least 20 seconds. It is important to clean all surfaces of the
hands, including the palms, backs of the hands, fingers and nails. If there's
no soap or water, it's OK to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer but be sure it
contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Sanitizers have limitations though. They
won't kill all the germs, and they may not be as effective when hands are
visibly dirty. So, when you have the option, choose soap and water.
“Practice proper
handwashing often. It's particularly important to wash before and after
handling food and before and after caring for someone who is sick or injured,”
says Olson.
You should also wash
up after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; using the toilet or changing
a diaper; petting or handling an animal/pet, pet food or animal waste; or
touching garbage.
By making hand hygiene
a priority in our daily lives, we can all do our part to promote a healthier
and safer world.
For more health tips
and information, visit aspirus.org.
Back to all Posts