"Good Hand Hygiene: Essential Steps You Must Know"

Good hand hygiene is a crucial aspect of preventing the spread of germs and staying healthy. It's not just about washing your hands, but also about knowing when and how to do it effectively. Let's dive into the details of what good hand hygiene involves.

Why is Hand Hygiene Important?

Before we discuss the steps involved in good hand hygiene, it's important to understand why it's so critical. Our hands pick up germs every time we touch something, and these germs can cause infections if they get into our body through mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) or breaks in the skin. Good hand hygiene helps to reduce the number of germs on our hands, lowering the risk of infection.

When Should You Wash Your Hands?

Knowing when to wash your hands is as important as knowing how. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends washing your hands:

• After using the toilet
• Before eating
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
• After touching animals, animal feed, or animal waste
• After handling garbage
• After touching commonly used surfaces or objects

The 6 Steps of Hand Hygiene

The WHO also provides a simple, six-step process for effective hand hygiene. Let's break down each step:

Wet

Start by wetting your hands with water, turning off the tap, and applying soap.

Lather

Apply soap to your hands and lather thoroughly. Ensure you lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. The WHO recommends lathering for at least 20-30 seconds, which is roughly the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice.

Scrub

Scrub your hands strongly together to remove germs. Don't forget to scrub all surfaces of your hands, including your wrists, palms, backs of hands, fingers, and under your nails.

Rinse

Rinse your hands well under clean, running water. Ensure all soap residue is removed.

Dry

Dry your hands using a clean towel or an air dryer. If you use a towel, use a new one each time.

Use Hand Sanitizer When Water and Soap Are Not Available

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Apply the gel to the palm of one hand and rub your hands together. Rub over all surfaces of your hands and fingers until they're dry.

Common Myths About Hand Hygiene

While we've covered the basics of good hand hygiene, there are some common myths that need debunking:

Myth	Fact
You only need to wash your hands after using the toilet.	You should wash your hands before eating, after blowing your nose, and after touching commonly used surfaces, among other times.
Hand sanitizers are as effective as soap and water.	While hand sanitizers are useful when soap and water aren't available, they're not as effective at removing all types of germs and should not be used when your hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
You only need to wash the palms of your hands.	Germs can be present on all surfaces of your hands, including your wrists, palms, backs of hands, fingers, and under your nails. Ensure you scrub all these areas.

Good hand hygiene is a simple yet powerful tool in preventing the spread of germs and staying healthy. By understanding when and how to wash your hands, you're taking a significant step towards protecting yourself and others from infections.