Have you washed your hands today? It’s one of the most important steps you can take to avoid becoming sick and spreading germs to others.
Many diseases are spread by something as simple as not washing your hands with soap and clean running water. These diseases include respiratory diseases such as influenza and gastrointestinal diseases such as salmonella.
Washing your hands properly can help prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading and causing these diseases.
Were you aware that some forms of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections can cause serious complications, particularly for old people, children, and those with a weakened immune system?
Faeces from people or animals is a major source of germs like E.Coli 0157, salmonella, and norovirus, which cause diarrhoea and spread some respiratory infections. These kinds of germs get on to people’s hands after using the toilet or changing a nappy but also in less obvious ways such as when handling raw meat.
Did you know that a single gram of human faeces (about the weight of a paper clip) can contain a whopping 3 trillion germs!
Germs can also get onto hands by people touching an object that has germs on it, perhaps from someone sneezing or coughing, or because it was touched by another contaminated object. When these germs get onto a person’s hands and aren’t washed off, they can be passed to another person and make them sick. Washing your hands prevents illnesses and helps avoid infecting others.
Washing your hands with soap and clean running water removes germs and this helps prevent infections because:
- Most people aren't aware of how many times they touch their mouth, eyes, and nose during the day. Germs that have entered the body via these places can make us sick.
- Germs from unwashed hands can be passed on to other objects such as door handles, handrails, and kids toys and then transferred to someone else’s hands.
- Germs from hands that haven’t been washed can get into drinks and food as people prepare or consume them. Under certain conditions, germs can multiply in some types of food and drink and make us ill.
