12/7/2023 “National Handwashing Awareness Week (Dec. 5–Dec. 11)” By Kaylee McGrath

Opening Statement:

There is no doubt that personal hygiene begins and ends with our hands. Although we are taught as youngsters to wash our hands before dinner, it is just as important to remember that germs don’t care what time of day it is. Clean hands prevent sickness, the spreading of bacteria, and viruses. Therefore, it is especially important to learn the basics about hand hygiene so that you too, can become an outstanding hand washer and aid with reducing the spreading of nasty disgusting germs!

National Handwashing Awareness Week Timeline

1860 - A Breakthrough Safety Process Begins

Frenchman Louis Pasteur begins researching causes and prevention of disease, leading to his breakthroughs in vaccination and what came to be known as pasteurization.

1818 - Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis Is Born

Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis, a pioneer in and advocate for antiseptic procedures, is born in Hungary.

1546 - Germ Theory Begins

Italian scholar and poet Girolamo Fracastoro suggests that epidemics are caused by small particles or "spores" that can be transmitted from one person to another.

400 BCE - Thucydides Has a Breakthrough Moment

The ancient Greek historian Thucydides is the first to suggest that disease can spread from one person to another.

National Handwashing Awareness Week Activities

· Do It Right

Experts recommend washing your hands with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to get a good lather going and clean the back of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails. Dry them using a clean towel. There is a lot of science behind these recommendations, so be sure to follow them each time you wash your hands.

· Memorize The Five Steps

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls hand washing "a do-it-yourself vaccine" and suggests remembering five easy steps: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry.

· Learn The Four Principles of Hand Awareness

Endorsed by the American Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians, the four principles are: 1) Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating; 2) Do not cough into hands; 3) Do not sneeze into hands; and 4) Don't put your fingers in your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Closing Statement:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, handwashing can prevent 1 in 3 diarrhea-related illnesses and 1 in 5 infections, including the flu. About 1.4 million children under the age 5 die from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, which are the two most deadly sicknesses for children worldwide. The CDC also reports that only 31 percent of men and 65 percent of women wash their hands after using a public restroom. Come on people…we can do better than that! Plain and simple…everyone needs to wash their hands! Absolutely, no excuses, just do it!

Source of Information: Various Google Searches

Until Next Week, Stay Safe and Well!