STOP… and wash your hands!
 Hand washing is the single most important
step in preventing illness!
Hand washing doesn’t take much time
or effort, but it is the single most important step in preventing
illness. The main purpose of washing hands is to cleanse the hands of
pathogens, including bacteria or viruses and chemicals that can cause
personal harm or disease.
What types of disease can good hand washing
prevent?
- Diseases spread through fecal-oral transmission.
Infections that may be transmitted through this route include
salmonellosis, shigellosis, hepatitis A, giardiasis, enterovirus,
amebiasis, and campylobacteriosis. Because these diseases are spread
through the ingestion of even the tiniest particles of fecal
material, hand washing after using the toilet cannot be
over-emphasized.
- Diseases spread through indirect contact with
respiratory secretions. Microorganisms that may be transmitted
through this route include influenza, Streptococcus, respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV) and the common cold. Because these diseases
may be spread indirectly by hands contaminated by respiratory
discharges of infected people, illness may be avoided by washing
hands after coughing or sneezing and after shaking hands with an
individual who has been coughing and sneezing.
Influenza Virus |
Sick
Child |
Strep Throat |
Don’t spread germs and the illnesses
they cause!
Remember to wash your hands!
- Diseases may also be spread when hands are
contaminated with urine, saliva or other moist body substances.
Microorganisms, which may be transmitted by one or more body
substances, include cytomegalovirus, typhoid, staphyloccal
organisms, and Epstein-Barr virus. These germs may be transmitted
from person to person or indirectly by contamination of food or
inanimate objects such as toys.
Staphyloccus |
Cytomegalovirus |
Epstein-Barr Virus |
How pretty, but these organisms (germs)
can make you
and your family oh so very sick!
When should you wash your hands?
 |
Good hand washing technique includes washing your hands with
soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Antibacterial soaps have become increasingly popular, but
are no more effective at killing germs than regular soap.
The combination of scrubbing your hands with soap and
rinsing them with water loosens and removes bacteria from
your hands. |
Proper hand washing
with soap and water:
- Wet your hands with warm*, running
water and apply liquid soap or use clean bar soap.
Lather well. *Cold water is also effective.
- Rub your hands vigorously together
for at least 15 to 20 seconds.
- Scrub all surfaces, including the
backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and
under your fingernails.
- Rinse well.
- Dry your hands with a clean or
disposable towel.
- Use a towel to turn off the faucet.
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Proper use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
Alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which don’t require
water, are an excellent alternative to hand washing, particularly when
soap and water aren’t available. The CDC recommends choosing products
that contain at least 60% alcohol.
To use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:
- Apply about ˝ teaspoon of the product to the palm
of your hand.
- Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces of
your hands until they’re dry.
Hand washing, when done correctly,
is the single most effective way
to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
Good hand washing technique is easy to learn
and can significantly reduce the spread of infectious diseases
among children and adults.
For more information, try these websites:
From the Palm Beach County Health Dept.
Epidemiology & Disease Control.
Florida Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology
www.doh.state.fl.us
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