Handwashing

I hope by now you have all received and read my letter
introducing the Health Ministry here at WPC. I am very
much looking forward to serving as your Parish Nurse. So
please stick my business card where it is easily accessible
and contact me at any time.

I plan to have information in this column that will help to
keep us all healthier. I am counting on your thoughts and
ideas to provide us direction, so please let me know if you
have topics you would like to see covered here, and I will
do the research. This month we will talk about hand washing
as a way to prevent the transmission of the flu, colds,
and the other illnesses that are so prevalent in the winter.
Good hand hygiene is also a good way to prevent foodrelated
illnesses, such as E. Coli and Salmonella.

Hand washing, when done properly, is one of the best ways
to avoid getting sick. It only requires soap and water, or an
alcohol based cleanser. It is not necessary to use an antibacterial
soap - they are no more effective at killing germs
than regular soap. The important thing is to be diligent in
your washing by rubbing your hands together vigorously
for 15-20 seconds (sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star") and
rinse with warm water. However, many people, including
health professionals, underestimate the amount of time they
are scrubbing. Unless one scrubs for the full time each
time, the preferred method for hand cleaning is using an
alcohol based cleanser. Not all hand sanitizers are the same,
however. The Center for Disease Control recommends
choosing a product that is at least 60% alcohol. Using
about 1/2 teaspoon of the product, rub all surfaces of your
hands until they are dry. In our current water shortage
using a hand sanitizer is environmentally friendly too!

We all know the standard times to wash our hands (after
using the bathroom, before cooking or eating, after changing
a diaper, etc.), but in order to prevent colds, we need to
think of other times too. Any time you touch your nose or
mouth, you should wash your hands before touching anything
else. Also, be sure to wash your hands before you touch your face, especially
after handling shopping carts, cashier's pens, and ATM and elevator
touchpads.