Washing Hands – A Simple Rewarding Habit

With sudden spurt in the swine flu cases, the first and foremost preventive action that helps in spreading of H1N1 virus is proper hand hygiene. The H1N1 virus is transmitted through mucus secretions, in form of droplets during coughing and sneezing, so being in contact or touching contaminated things aids in faster transmission of the disease.

Washing your hands properly doesn’t mean washing just for the sake of washing it with soap and water. It takes 20 secs to wash it properly. Research says that though substantial evidences are available to support the role of hand hygiene in spreading of diseases yet only 5% of people actually wash hands correctly.

The alcohol based sanitizer works equally well in maintaining hand hygiene where the availability of soap and water is difficult. The ideal way to practice hand hygiene properly is to wash hands frequently and just follow the simple instructions given below:

 Step 1 & Step 2: Wet hands with water and apply enough soap

Step 3: Rub hands palm to palm

Step 4: Rub back of each hand with palm of another

Step 5: Rub palm to palm with fingers interlaced

Step 6: Rub back of fingers with opposing palm

Step 7: Rub each thumb clasped in opposite hand

Step 8: Rub tips of finger in opposite palm

Step 9: Rub and wash up to wrist

Step 10: Rinse hands with water

Step 11 &Step 12: Dry thoroughly.

Proper hand hygiene by washing or sanitizing your hands doesn’t take much time but following this habit frequently gives a reward of well being and good health!