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Going global with the benefits of clean hands
If ever there was a time to recognize the importance of the connection between handwashing and good health, the time is now! Each year, influenza kills more than 36,000 people and hospitalizes 200,000 in the United States. Worldwide, the annual epidemics cause about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. Now, with the new challenge of the H1N1 virus, hand hygiene plays an even more vital role in public health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that influenza illness, including illness associated with the influenza A (H1N1) virus, is ongoing in this country. This virus is not “going away,” as some people seem to think.
When this virus first surfaced, it was referred to as “swine flu.” However, last April, after a number of countries banned pork imports or slaughtered their pigs, the World Health Organization (WHO) began referring to it as influenza A (H1N1) virus. On June 11, 2009, the WHO raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in response to the ongoing global spread of this virus. A Phase 6 designation indicates that a global pandemic is underway.
Routine hygiene practices, such as washing your hands, are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy. To learn more and keep up-to-date with credible information, visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/.
Proper Handwashing Procedures
To do the job properly, you need three things: soap, warm running water, and enough time (20 seconds–or about how long it takes to sing iHappy Birthdayi two times).
- Wet hands with warm, running water. Then apply soap.
- Rub hands together vigorously to make lather and scrub all surfaces. Continue for 20 seconds.
- Rinse well under warm, running water.
- Dry hands thoroughly using paper towels or an air dryer. If possible, use paper towels to turn off the faucet.
"When soap and water aren't available, there are other alternatives," says Nancy Bock, Vice President of Education at The Soap and Detergent Association. "Hand sanitizers and handwipes are easy, convenient and portable."
Clean-Hands Initiatives
Putting the spotlight on the importance of handwashing for good health is the driving force behind several major initiatives.
International Clean Hands Week–September 20–26, 2009: The Soap and Detergent Association is one of 13 organizations that have joined forces to create The Clean Hands Coalition (CHC). The CHC is facilitated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and works to increase global awareness of the importance of handwashing in disease prevention. To learn more about this network, visit www.cleanhandscoalition.org.
FREE Webinar–September 24, 2009 at 6 PM: Join SDA as we present a hand-hygiene education webinar for family and consumer science professionals, health educators, nurses, teachers and others interested in getting ready for the cold and flu season. The Webinar will provide you with information that is ready to share with community leaders and will involve experts from The Soap and Detergent Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Society of Microbiology. This webinar will create a network of people that can provide leadership in public health nationwide.
To register, email info@cleaning101.com or visit www.cleaning101.com/handhygiene.
Global Handwashing Day–October 15, 2009: This event, first introduced in 2008, was the centerpiece of a year that the United Nations General Assembly designated as the International Year of Sanitation. The driving theme for Global Handwashing Day is children and schools. This global celebration's main objectives are to foster and support a global and local culture of handwashing with soap, to shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing in each country, and to raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap.
For more information about Global Handwashing Day, and to download the Planner's Guide, visit www.globalhandwashingday.org.
It's a SNAP: SNAP, which stands for School Network for Absenteeism Prevention, is a grassroots, education-based effort to improve health by making hand-cleaning an integral part of the school day. SNAP is designed to get the entire school community talking about clean hands by providing tools for incorporating hand hygiene into multiple subject areas and activities. The program was created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and The Soap and Detergent Association.
To learn about the 2009 SNAP Award recipients, visit www.itsasnap.org. Interested educators can also learn more about the 2010 SNAP program and download program-ready materials from this website. Follow us on Twitter for regular updates, ideas and links to hand hygiene resources.
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