Handwashing-Clean Hands Saves Life

Handwashing is like a "do-it-yourself" vaccine—it involves five simple and effective steps (think Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry) you can take to reduce the spread of diarrheal and respiratory illness so you can stay healthy. Regular handwashing, particularly before and after certain activities, is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others.

I will try to explain Importance of hand washing in 3 different articles.

1. When to Wash Your Hands

2. How to Wash Your Hand

3.  What you should do when you don’t have running water.

Today we will discuss

why should we wash our hands.

·         Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water.

·         How germs get onto hands and make people sick-Feces (poop) from people or animals is an important source of germs that cause diarrhea, and it can spread some respiratory infections .These kinds of germs can get onto hands after people use the toilet or change a diaper, but also in less obvious ways, like after handling raw meats that have invisible amounts of animal poop on them. A single gram of human feces—which is about the weight of a paper clip—can contain one trillion germs.

·         Germs can also get onto hands if people touch any object that has germs on it because someone coughed or sneezed on it or was touched by some other contaminated object. When these germs get onto hands and are not washed off, they can be passed from person to person and make people sick.

·         People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it.  Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick.

·         Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick

·         Removing germs through handwashing therefore helps prevent diarrhea and respiratory infections and may even help prevent skin and eye infections. 

Teaching people about handwashing helps them and their communities stay healthy. Handwashing education in the community

·         Reduces the number of people who get sick with diarrhea by 31%

·         Reduces diarrheal illness in people with weakened immune systems by 58%

·         Reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 21%