Hand Hygiene Day

May 5th is Hand World Hygiene Day. Now more than ever, the WHO calls on everyone to be inspired by the hard-working health professionals fighting COVID-19. Hand hygiene is one of the most effective tools against reducing the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including the COVID-19 virus.

How to wash your hands:

• Wash your hands with soap and running water when your hands are visibly dirty

• If your hands are not dirty, frequently clean them by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water

Guidance

• Alcohol-based hand rub products should contain at least 60% alcohol, should be certified and where supplies are limited or cost prohibitive can be made locally by carefully following WHO guidance

• Plain soap is effective at inactivating enveloped viruses such as the COVID-virus due to the oily surface membrane that is dissolved by soap, killing the virus

• Hand-washing removes germs through mechanical action

• Chlorinated water a 0.05% is not recommended for routine hand hygiene because it has skin and other toxic effects, and soap is easy to find and can be used effectively