Hands are the highways to the transmission and spread of bacterial, parasitic and viral infections and one needs to spend at least two minutes on washing their hands properly, say doctors.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), washing your hands properly takes about as long as singing “Happy Birthday” twice!
But this simple and effective infection-prevention tool is hardly used properly by people. Experts in infectious diseases and virology, who have noted that most do not even spend a minute on washing their hands, say that proper hand hygiene can check the spread of various infections in all settings – from home and workplace to child care facilities and hospitals.
V. Ravi, professor and Head of Neurovirology at NIMHANS, says while washing hands people usually do not lather the back of their hands, the fingertips and the spaces between fingers, nail beds and elevated portions of the palm. “Good hand washing procedure includes washing all these parts of the hand.”
Infectious germs on the hands can spread infection when people rub their nose or eyes with their hands, which have been contaminated with the cold virus or other bacteria. If you do not wash your hands frequently enough, you can infect yourself and spread germs by touching surfaces like doorknobs.
Purnima Parthasarathy, Infectious Diseases specialist , says the use of alcohol-based hand rubs worked well in a hospital atmosphere. “In a hospital, we suggest soap can be used to wash only if the hands are visibly soiled. For the public, hand rubs can be used if soap and water are not available,” she said.
She said the practice of hand washing can be inculcated in children only if adults at home practise it regularly.
Readers can send their feedback to bangaloredesk@thehindu.co.in or contact us through our Twitter (https:/twitter.com/BloreConnect) or Facebook account (www.facebook.com/BloreConnect).
