Handwashing 101: How to prevent a killer cold or flu
November 16, 2007
Of the 51 types of adenoviruses that cause the common cold, a new and more deadly strain of adenovirus appears to be linked to the deaths of at least ten people who came down with the virus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The concern among health officials is that this new virus can cause serious and potentially life threatening illness in otherwise healthy young adults. Reported cases of the new deadly cold virus has been identified in New York, Oregon, Washington and Texas.
The very young, the very old and those with compromised immune systems are always at risk of developing complications from the run of the mill cold, but this new more deadly strain has health officials are on alert. There are steps one can take to prevent getting a cold and spreading virus germs to others. The most important tip involves the simple practice of effective hand washing.
According to the CDC, hands should be washed anytime after visiting the bathroom; after changing a diaper; before and after taking care of someone who is sick; after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; after handling animal or animal waste; after handling garbage; before and after treating a cut or wound and before preparing or eating food.
Not included in the CDC recommendations, but precautions we take as a family include safe practices when visiting a public restroom or the doctor’s office. After washing hands in a public restroom, we use our elbow (if the door handle is a lever handle) to open the door when leaving the restroom, or a paper towel to open the door if the door handle is a knob handle. When visiting the doctor’s office, we practice the same procedures. It is common sense. People who are sick go to the doctor and unfortunately, not everyone can be trusted to wash their hands after using the public restroom.
The CDC recommendations for hand washing include:
When washing hands, use soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds. Most of us might remember being taught to wash our hands for as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice. The step by step tips for hand washing are:
- Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if possible.
- Vigorously rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
- Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds.
- Rinse hands well under running water.
- Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.
Keep alcohol-based wipes or hand sanitizer gel handy when soap and clean water are not available. Step by step tips when using alcohol-based wipes or hand sanitizer gel are:
- Apply product to the palm of one hand.
- Rub hands together.
- Rub the product over all surfaces of hands and fingers until hands are dry.
No one is going to be able to avoid all germs, but simple measures like hand washing, not touching your face with your hands as much as possible, drinking plenty of water, eating nutritious food and getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night will minimize the number of colds and flu you and your family must suffer.
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