In today’s health situation, frequent washing of hands is important to stop the spread of the virus. Due to COVID-19, we are using one of the easiest solutions to reduce the risk of viral transmission through handwashing with soap and water. The local government units together with the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (DepED) with the support of the UNICEF strengthen their efforts to educate the people in proper handwashing and promote proper hand hygiene nationwide.
Even before the pandemic, there was a wide concern on the absenteeism among children attending to school due to gastrointestinal illnesses due to poor practice of handwashing. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), germs like Salmonella, E. coli can cause diarrhea and it can spread respiratory infections like adenovirus and hand-foot-mouth diseases usually among children. Thus, proper handwashing should be observed and monitored in the country. Here are some tips to observe proper handwashing protocols:
Wash hands often. Washing of hands frequently can eliminate germs and can make you safe to touch face. It is also recommended to wash your hands before and after doing any activities.
Follow proper procedure in washing hands. According to CDC, first, drench your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap, at the back of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails. Scrub your hands for 20 seconds or hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice. Rinse your hands with clean running water and lastly, dried up your hands using clean towels or air dryer.
Preventing sickness is a big challenge to all of us. The government are doing all efforts to aware the public with the risk that virus or germs can give us. As part of the community, proper handwashing habit should start within us and we will always keep our surroundings clean. As what DOH Secretary Duque III said, “hand hygiene should not only be a habit but a commitment to protect the health of the community and the general public”.
NO II Joanna Marie E. Baltazar, RND
References:
- Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
- Handwashing
https://doh.gov.ph/spotlight/hand-washing
- DepEd, DOH and UNICEF unite to bring Clean Hands for All this October 15
https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/deped-doh-and-unicef-unite-bring-clean-hands-all-october-15
- Global Handwashing Day 2020: DepEd, DOH and UNICEF unite to make handwashing a lasting habit
https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/10/21/global-handwashing-day-2020-deped-doh-and-unicef-unite-to-make-handwashing-a-lasting-habit/
