Save lives: clean your hands
Each year, millions of infections are prevented through ensuring good hand hygiene. So today, on the World Health Organization’s global Hand Hygiene Day, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding everyone of the need to ‘clean your hands’ thoroughly and regularly.
Dr Lourda Geoghegan, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “This year we are focussing on the importance of good hand hygiene in protecting our family, our friends and ourselves from the many germs we encounter every day.”
By following these below steps everyone can ensure they have clean hands, keeping themselves and family safe:
- wet hands with warm water;
- apply enough liquid soap to cover the surface of both hands;
- rub hands together, thoroughly applying the soap to all areas including the backs of the hands and between the fingers;
- rinse hands with warm water;
- dry both hands thoroughly.
It is important to remember that anti-bacterial gels and wipes are generally not a substitute for washing hands with soap and warm water, as they may not be able to remove contamination (bugs and germs) in the way that running water can. However, gels and wipes may be useful as a short-term measure if hand-washing facilities are not readily available.
Dr Geoghegan continued: “The PHA continues to work in partnership with all healthcare workers to promote excellence in hand hygiene across all health and social care settings. Effective hand washing is one of the most important tools in preventing illnesses. Clean hands are vital in controlling the spread of healthcare infections, including the new and emerging multi-resistant infections.
“It is the collective responsibility of everyone – healthcare workers and the general public – to be proactive in preventing the spread of infection. I would urge everyone to follow good hand hygiene practices, whether in a healthcare setting, in the home or when participating in leisure or sporting activities.”
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