If you were told that doing one simple (and free) thing could save you, your family and your co-workers from becoming ill wouldn’t you jump at the opportunity?
Well you can – the simplest way of reducing the spread of illnesses such as tummy bugs, coughs, colds, and even superbugs is to wash your hands PROPERLY. At home we can do that using soap and water and in our healthcare settings we also have alcohol gel which is accessible in all areas.
Saturday the 5th of May is the World Health Organization’s Hand Hygiene Day around the world. HSE Mid West Community Healthcare is today reminding the public that to protect our health we all need to wash our hands thoroughly. Healthcare workers are trained to follow good hand hygiene practice but it is important for everyone to realise how vital proper hand washing is.
Some tips for stopping infections spreading at home are listed below – you should try to make a habit of washing your hands regularly during the day. The goal is to find a good balance between
keeping your hands clean when it’s most important without limiting your enjoyment of life.
Particularly important times to wash your hand are:
When you have been in contact with a person or an animal with an infection
When you get back to your home from being out and about or at work, especially if your
work involves a lot of contact with people or animals
Before starting to prepare or handle food
After touching raw meat including poultry
Before eating food
After using the toilet and after changing nappies
Imagine, all you need to reduce the spread of infection is warm running water, plain liquid soap and a clean towel at home/paper towels outside of the home. Avoid bar and fancy soaps, and cloth towels, as they usually have bugs on the, and avoid using “antibacterial” soaps as they don’t offer any benefit and may actually increase the risk of resistant germs. It’s important to change towels regularly at home.
Alcohol gel can be used instead of washing your hands with soap and water but it is not effective against some bugs which can cause diarrhoea and vomiting so in that situation
soap and water are better.
See hse.ie/handhygiene for more information about WHO World Hand Hygiene Day 2018 and
helpful videos and information about good hand hygiene.
More about health here.
