It’s Global Handwashing Day! Spread the Word, Not the Germs

Today we have a guest blog by Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University and a member of the Tork^® Green Hygiene Council^TM. Tork is Leader level sponsor of HSC’s Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools.

Keeping Schools, Students Healthy by Practicing Good Hand Hygiene

Sniffles and sneezes. Fevers and chills.

These symptoms are as ubiquous as falling leaves and cool, brisk air when fall rolls around. And with millions of students missing more than 22 million school days annually thanks to the common cold alone, now is the perfect time to remind colleagues, friends and children about how practicing good hand hygiene prevents illness and the spread of germs.

Schools are the perfect environment to teach this lesson. Educators, parents and school nurses are ideal individuals to lead by example and teach youth about proper handwashing techniques.  Considering that we use our hands for almost everything we do, it’s especially important to teach and encourage proper hand hygiene techniques to students so that it becomes a part of their daily lives.

It’s a lesson that is particularly relevant today, officially recognized as “Global Handwashing Day” and celebrated by millions of students and educators in more than 80 countries worldwide. The goal is to raise awareness about the powerful impact proper handwashing has on protecting public health.

The main way that illnesses like colds and flu are spread is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. Some viruses and bacteria can live up to eight hours or longer on surfaces like desks, cafeteria tables, and doorknobs or handles.

In the United States alone, more than 25 million people will report having the flu this fall, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

To celebrate Global Handwashing Day and keep students and staff healthy this flu season, I recommend the following simple, efficient and effective tips to prevent illness and spreading germs.

Times for Washing and Drying Hands

• After arriving at school
• Before cafeteria meals or snack time
• After visiting the restroom
• After sneezing or coughing
• Before and after recess
• When preparing food
• After visiting a sick person
• After arriving home
• When hands are visibly dirty

After washing and drying hands students, faculty and staff members should:

• Avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoid close contact such as shaking hands, especially with people who are sick.
• Cough or sneeze against their sleeve or in a paper tissue that is then thrown in a waste basket.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the most important measures to fight cold and flu infections is to wash your hands.

• Washing hands after using the restroom or eating meals is a fool-proof way to keep germs from getting onto desks or other frequently used surfaces, and it prevents germs from spreading around school building.
• Students should wash their hands with soap and warm water for about 30 seconds and dry thoroughly with a single use paper towel.
• Use a hand sanitizer gel if water and soap are not available.

A step-by-step Guide to Proper Hand Hygiene
Here’s a step-by-step guide for practicing good hand hygiene:

1. Wet hands with clean warm water
2. Apply soap
3. Rub hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces for 20 seconds. Remember to wash both thumbs – these fingers are often neglected in the handwashing process
4. Wash under nails and scrub watches and jewelry – millions of germs actually gather there
5. Rinse with clean water
6. Use a single-use paper towel to thoroughly dry hands; wet hands transfer about 1,000 times more germs than dry hands, and paper towels eliminate more germs than air dryers!
7. When leaving a washroom, use a paper towel to avoid contact with frequently touched surfaces, such as the faucet and door handles
8. Use mild and gentle soaps since hands should be washed frequently

Plus: To download free handwashing posters, click here.

To learn more or order your free copy of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools, visit www.greencleanschools.org.