It's Global Handwashing Day today!
No, it's not the day you wash your hands of all the things you're supposed to do and have just given up on doing. It's an important day around the world for spreading awareness about the health benefits of proper handwashing, and to share appropriate techniques for making sure handwashing is effective.
How many times have you been grossed out by that person who leaves the loo without washing their hands? Bleah!
Why should we care?
In a nutshell, because it can prevent the spread of infection and save lives. And that's a good thing, right?
"But that's only a problem in developing countries..."
Nope. How many of you know someone who has caught swine flu in the last couple of years? Or a cold, for that matter? How about one of those Superbugs?
The clever amongst you might have picked up that I mentioned Global Handwashing Day in one of my posts about travelling in Lusaka, Zambia, last week. But thanks to a strict British upbringing reinforced in Canada, I can honestly say I'm pretty obsessed with having clean hands myself.
So is there a "correct" way to wash your hands?
There's a surprising array of options available to the intrepid handwasher who decides to Google "WHO six steps of handwashing". The first thing you notice is that most of the advice involves more than six steps. No worries, Quora to the rescue! Here's an efficient and effective way to kick those germs down the drain...in just six easy steps.
I would add that you might want to have another small piece of paper towel available for opening the door, given that not everyone who has left before you has washed their hands....
What can we do to help?
Initiatives like this can always use help from the general population to spread awareness. It helps tremendously for parents to teach their kids that handwashing is important for their own health and for the health of their families and friends. It also helps if teachers get kids excited about handwashing at school so that it becomes a group habit.
This article gives you some general tips about the broader subjects of avoiding superbugs and not being that person who spreads colds and flu.
WASH THOSE HANDS, STEEMIANS! Spread the word and the love
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