Why Wash Our Hands?

There are things everyone can do to help stop them and other people getting Coronavirus. One of them is to wash your hands often during the day.

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water.

Handwashing with soap removes germs and helps prevent infections because:

• People touch their eyes, nose, and mouth many times during the day. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth.
• Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare them.
• Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, tabletops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.

Germs that cause infections can get onto hands after using the toilet, but also after handling raw meats for instance. They can also get onto hands if people touch any object that someone coughed or sneezed on. If these germs aren’t washed off, they can pass from person to person and make people sick.

Not washing hands harms children around the world

About 1.8 million children under five years old die every year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia. These are the top two killers of young children around the world.

• Handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhoea.
• Washing hands with soap removes germs much more effectively.
• Handwashing education and access to soap in schools can help improve attendance.

Wash your hands!

Handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhoea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections like colds and flu. Reducing the number of these infections by washing hands frequently helps prevent the overuse of antibiotics. Handwashing can also prevent people from getting sick with germs that are already resistant to antibiotics and that can be difficult to treat.

Use soap and water or hand sanitiser (gel) if there is no soap and water when you are out
Wash your hands when:
• You come home
• You visit other places
• Before you touch food
Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth
Always cough and sneeze into a tissue.
Then throw the tissue away and wash your hands.