feature hand hygiene
Washing with soap vs using hand sanitiser Each year the Save Lives: Clean Your Hands global campaign aims to progress the goal of maintaining a global profile on the importance of hand hygiene and to congregate people in support of hand hygiene improvement around the world. For World Hand Hygiene Day 2021, celebrated on May 5, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on healthcare workers and facilities to achieve effective hand hygiene action at the point of care. This could not have been more relevant considering the mass rollout of vaccination campaigns in many countries. The article by Clare Knight previously published in News Medical, offers valuable insight of the importance of hand hygiene, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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ur hands can be a critical vector in the transmission of infectious organisms. Infectious viruses can persist on surface materials for several days and are easily transferred between surfaces and hands upon contact. When we touch our face, the infectious pathogens can enter the body through mucus membranes in our mouths, eyes and nose, and travel to the throat and lungs. Given that the average adult touches their face
approximately 20 times per hour and is particularly likely to rub the nose or eyes, it is clear why hand hygiene has received renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are the recommended preventative measures for COVID-19? Practicing good hand hygiene is a simple preventative strategy that most people can easily undertake, and many studies have demonstrated
the effectiveness of hand hygiene in preventing the transmission of infectious pathogens, including respiratory diseases. There is a vast array of different hand hygiene products on the market, many of which were in short supply globally at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic following a surge in demand from consumers.
Key times to clean hands Pre-pandemic, public health systems have communicated that hand cleaning should take place before and after preparing and eating food; before and after wound treatment; after using the toilet; after touching animals; and after touching garbage. During the pandemic, it is recommended to also clean hands after touching your eyes, nose, mouth, or facemask; upon entering and leaving a public space; and after touching surfaces in public areas.
What are hand hygiene products? Soap and water Currently, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advocates for handwashing with soap and water as the most effective way of preventing the spread of COVID-19, and have published the following guidelines for effective handwashing:
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African Cleaning Review May/June 2021
