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Roosevelt County

Practicing Good Hand Hygiene is Important

Published: 2020
By Ardis Oelkers
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs, and to prevent both infectious diseases and foodborne illnesses. During the coronavirus pandemic, keeping hands clean is especially important to help prevent the virus from spreading. When the virus gets onto hands and is not washed off, it can be passed from person to person. Germs from unwashed hands can get into the body through the mouth, nose, and eyes and make people sick. Good hand hygiene – regular handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds – reduces the spread of germs that can cause illness. The Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent educated 40 Culbertson fourth and fifth grade students and teachers about regularly washing hands. This key preventive action along with using an alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol (if soap and water are not readily available) are important steps in stopping the spread of viruses. Teaching students and faculty about handwashing helps them and their community stay healthy. Since the handwashing lessons at the beginning of the school year, teachers have established a culture of hand hygiene by reinforcing the importance of handwashing, building time into daily routines for students to wash hands, placing hand sanitizers throughout the classroom and near frequently touched surfaces, and promoting hand hygiene in their classroom with visual posters.
Wash Away Germs visual