World Hygiene Day – “Seconds save lives – clean your hands!”

#TurksandCaicos, May 5, 2021 – World Hand Hygiene Day marks the second year of increased awareness about the need for diligence in the home and in facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World Health Organization, hand hygiene should be performed in the most effective way so that it prevents the transmission of infectious organisms during health care delivery and in the community This year, the theme for World Hand Hygiene Day is, “Achieving hand hygiene at the point of care.” The slogan of World Hand Hygiene Day is, “Seconds save lives – clean your hands!” The WHO also says that everyone should make washing and keeping their hands clean a habit as it helps to protect us all from diseases.

Most common viruses are easily spread by hands, and knowing when and how to wash hands can help minimize the spread of germs. Handwashing with soap and water removes germs from hands. This helps prevent infections because:

• People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick e.g. COVID-19 disease.
• Germs from unwashed hands can get into food and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.
• Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, table tops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.
• Removing germs through handwashing therefore helps prevent diarrhea and respiratory infections and may even help prevent skin and eye infections.

To help beat the COVID-19 virus and ensure better health outcomes beyond the pandemic, handwashing with soap and water must be a priority now and in the future. Handwashing helps individuals and their communities stay healthy.

It is important to make handwashing into a habit.  World Hand Hygiene Day helps to raise awareness of the importance of washing hands with soap and water, but it also makes it fun for children to get involved. Proper hygiene requires that individuals know the importance of good hygiene and develop the habits to carry it out.

Let us make every effort to perform and encourage the healthy behavior of washing our hands after using the bathroom, after coughing, blowing our nose and before serving or handling food or eating.

“Seconds save lives – clean your hands!”