Avoiding the flu is as simple as washing hands
By JEFF WEBB
Published December 9, 2005
4. Rinse the soap from your hands.
I'm guessing that the person who shared his lousy head cold with me also missed this news:
Dec. 4-10 is National Hand Washing Awareness Week.
The mean season of the hurricanes may have passed, but the Florida Department of Health reminds that if we want to avoid catching the flu, this should be the beginning of the clean season.
"Frequent handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases," the Health Department dutifully warned in a press release earlier this week. "Proper handwashing can remove harmful bacteria and viruses. . . . By washing hands properly and following the suggested hand-washing principles, Floridians may indeed reduce their risks of contracting influenza."
Most people are aware that it is important - and courteous - to wash their hands frequently. But who knew there were "principles" associated with scrubbing our grimy little mitts?
Alas, even when we know it should be done, the chasm between knowledge and deed is sometimes wide, and I'd wager that most of us don't wash our hands often enough. And, even when we do, we may not be doing it properly.
Yes, properly. The Health Department has a six-step program for those who have, or think they may have, a washing problem:
1. Place your hands together under warm water.
2. Apply liquid or clean bar soap to your hands.
5. Dry your hands completely with a clean towel (disposable if possible). Pat your skin rather than rubbing to avoid chapping and cracking.
6. If you use a disposable towel, throw it in the trash.
And all this time you thought you knew what you were doing.
So, if most of us are doing it wrong, maybe we're also confused about when to do it.
This week, the Health Department offers guidance with that, too. You should always wash your hands:
Before, during and after you prepare food.
Before you eat.
After using the restroom.
After touching animals or animal waste.
After caring for someone who is sick.
After changing diapers.
After leaving a playground or park.
After blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing.
Whenever your hands are visibly dirty.
Do not cough or sneeze into your hands; do that in your elbow to avoid spreading germs with your hands.
And, the cardinal rule of germ warfare: Never put your unwashed fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth.
Come clean, now. How many of us can say we're in 100 percent compliance? Clearly, the Health Department has set the bar high.
Have they placed unrealistic demands on our digits?
Is this a case of hand hygiene run amok?
Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention think not. They estimate that 36,000 people in the United States will die from the flu this year (avian pandemic notwithstanding). "Many of these deaths can be related to poor hand washing," according to the Health Department.
That statistic is nothing to sneeze at. So, please, do your part this flu season to keep your contagious micro-organisms to yourself.
And, if you encounter someone who is not doing his part to promote cleanliness, tell him to keep his hands at arm's length.
Reach Jeff Webb at webb@sptimes.co or 352 754-6123.