WASHING HANDS
WASHING YOUR HANDS
Step by step:
(from https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html ):
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Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
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Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
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Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
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Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
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Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Why is it important to wash your hands?
The whole point of washing your hands is to remove all the germs you’ve collected from touching things. Germs can make you ill and possibly infect you as well. It can also get into your body if you rub your eyes, stick your fingers in your mouth, etc.
When is it important to wash your hands?
You need to wash your hands:
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After using the lavatory
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Before, after and during preparing food
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Before and after meals
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After you’ve touched or used cleaning agents
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Before and after being near someone who is ill
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Before and after cleaning up vomit
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Before and after touching any animal(s)
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After coming back from another country
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After changing diapers
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After throwing out the trash of handling any garbage
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After blowing your nose, sneezing, coughing, etc
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After handling pet food
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ANYTIME AT ALL (it’s always safer to wash your hands than to not)
What if there isn’t a sink near you?
If there isn’t a sink near you, you can choose to use hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol to wash your hands. This doesn’t mean you can completely replace soap and water with hand sanitizer.
Fun Fact!
There is a website called “Wash Your Lyrics” where they turn your favourite songs into a step by step washing your hands guide.
Example here with the song,
"Shake it off" by Taylor Swift
References
Show Me the Science - Why Wash Your Hands? | Handwashing | CDC. (2020). Retrieved 31 July 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/why-handwashing.html#:~:text=Handwashing%20with%20soap%20removes%20germs,mouth%20and%20make%20us%20sick.
When and How to Wash Your Hands | Handwashing | CDC. (2020). Retrieved 31 July 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
