One of the best ways that you can protect yourself and prevent you and your family from getting sick is by washing your hands. This doesn’t mean a quick splash of water, but a thorough and deliberate process that can stop the spread of diseases.
Many viruses and diseases spread through contact. It does not need to be in direct contact with another person, but it can be through shared items or common surfaces. If somebody coughs into their hand and then opens a door, those germs can spread to the next person to touch the door handle. If that person then touches his or her face, the risk of infection greatly increases.
Humans will touch their faces at least 16 times in an hour. That’s at least one touch every four minutes. Not just limiting how often you touch your face, but increasing how often (and how well) you wash your hands can keep you healthy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends washing your hands often, especially during key times when you are likely to spread germs:
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- Before eating food
- Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
- After using the toilet
- After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
- After touching garbage
Washing your hands is an easy and effective way to stop the spread of germs, and there are five simple steps to follow:
- Wet your hands and apply soap
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap, getting the back of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds
- Rinse your hands well under running water
- Dry your hands with a clean towel or air dry them
Don’t have access to soap and water? Use hand sanitizer. Just remember that sanitizers do not get rid of all germs, and they may not be as effective with dirty or greasy hands.
Stopping the spread of germs and diseases is not only important in your daily life, but also in the workplace. At the minimum, you are responsible for keeping yourself safe. For help on keeping your workplace safe, contact Progressive Building Services today at 616-241-1096. With a certified health care cleaning company, you can help make a difference.
