World Handwashing Day, Hand Washing with Soap, Global Handwashing Day

Today is world handwashing day

UNICEF (United Nations Fund for Children’s Activities) declared 15th October is Global handwashing day. Purpose of Global handwashing day is to raise awareness & promoting hand washing to school children and parents. The main aim was to raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap and encourage and support a global culture of using soap while handwashiing. The Global handwashing Day (15th October) is organized by a high profile coalition. USAID, UNICEF, Disease Control and Prevention Centers; Water and Sanitation Program, Procter and Gamble and Unilever.

Hand Washing

5 Fundamental facts about hand washing with soap

• Washing hands only with water is not enough. Washing hands with water alone, a more common practice, is significantly less effective than handwashing with soap.
• Use soap to hand wash as this can prevent children and adult from diseases. Using soap helps in breaking down the grease and dirt that carry most germs and make your hands smelling pleasant.
• The important time for hand washing with soap for children are after usage of the toilet. And also before having food.This habit can save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention. 
• Hand washing with soap is the single and most productive health intervention.
• Social marketing advances that center on the potential handwasher and his or her exact motivations are more useful than usual disease-focused approaches.

When Do you Need to Wash Hands?

• Before and after preparing, serving or eating food.
• After coming home from work or school.
• After being out in public or crowded places.
• After touching objects like coins, rupees, telephone, keyboard etc.
• Shaking hands with people having fever, coughing, sneezing..
• Afer handling animals.
• After going to the toilet.

5 steps in handwashing with soap

• Wet your hands under running water. 
• Apply soap on your hands, on top, palm, fingers and then rub your hands together vigorously.
• Rub your palms, in between your fingers, under your fingernails and the back of your hand.
• Rinse your hands thoroughly under the running water.
• Dry your hands with a clean towel.

Wash with Soap

Alcohol-Based Sanitizers

When there is no water, use sanitizers.  Alcohol-based sanitizers are a special type of sanitizer that doesn’t require rinsing, and they claim to kill almost 100% of germs. They usually come as a gel or a rub cloth. However, they are only effective when no visible dirt is present. They cannot replace soap and water, but act as a supplement when soap and water are not available. People with open cuts should avoid hand sanitizers because they may cause further irritation.