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Hand washing is the best way to defend
against germs that are spread by contact.
If you wash your hands often and properly,
you can help prevent infectious diseases
in yourself and others. Always wash your
hands in the following situations:
- before eating
- before and after handling cooked or
uncooked food (e.g., meats)
- after going to the bathroom or changing
a child's diaper
- before and after treating a wound or
tending a sick person
- after your blow your nose, cough, or
sneeze
- after handling animals, animal waste,
or garbage
What's
the proper way to wash my hands?
- Wet your hands with warm water and lather
them with soap.
- Scrub your palms, between your fingers,
and the backs of your hands.
- Scrub your fingertips and each thumb
thoroughly.
- Scrub your wrists.
- Rinse your hands under running water.
- Dry your hands with a paper towel and
use it to turn off the tap.
You should spend at least 15 seconds scrubbing
your hands, being careful not to wash away
the lather until it's time to rinse. An
easy way to pass 15 seconds is to hum the
chorus of your favourite song. When rinsing,
let the water run back into the sink, not
down your elbows.
Can
I use a convenient hand disinfectant instead?
Hand disinfectants may be convenient to
use, but they do not really clean your hands
if they are soiled (i.e., if your hands
have visible dirt on them). If your hands
are soiled, wash them first with soap and
water. Once your hands are washed, alcohol-based
disinfectant gels or rinses that contain
more than 60% alcohol are very effective
at killing germs. If your hands are soiled,
only use hand disinfectants when water is
not available or after you have already
washed and dried your hands using soap.
Any type of soap is good. To prevent skin
chapping, use a "mild" soap with
warm water and lightly pat your hands dry.
If you wish to use disinfectant afterward,
make sure your hands are completely dry,
because water can dilute the alcohol. Apply
a small amount of disinfectant and rub your
hands together for 15 seconds or until they
feel dry. To combat dryness after washing
or from the effect of alcohol on your skin,
you may wish to apply hand lotion. Use plenty
of lotion, and use it often.
What
else should I keep in mind to keep germs
at bay?
Whenever you handle anything, always consider
whether it could be a reservoir for germs
(they thrive on moist surfaces). For example,
don't use sponges or cleaning cloths, unless
they are washed regularly using bleach.
It is best if each person in your household
had his or her own hand towel. Common hand
towels are crawling with germs. If your
chores require regular hand washing (e.g.,
serving food), you may be tempted to use
a standing tub of water to rinse your hands,
but you should always use running tap water.
Finally, never assume that children know
how to properly wash their hands. Always
watch your little ones, because supervision
is essential in forming good hand washing
habits. Your Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacist
will be glad to give you a hand-washing
demonstration and provide advice on other
ways to prevent the spread of infectious
diseases.
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