We all know that hand washing is the number one most preferred method for preventing viral infections or diseases but even with the recent virus outbreak, doctors are suggesting that we do this a lot more often. So is hand washing really that helpful in relation to an epidemic? New research shows that it is.
In a study done by the CDC and World Health Organization, they were able to confirm that washing your hands daily can help battle the rise in infectious or viruses. They saw that handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections. Antibiotics often are prescribed unnecessarily for these health issues. Reducing the number of these infections by washing hands frequently helps prevent the overuse of antibiotics.
In the guidelines for how to prevent infections with the new coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that people should “wash their hands frequently with soap and water.”
Still, people continue to doubt that something as simple as basic personal hygiene could have an effect in the seriousness of an epidemic.
30% OF PEOPLE DONT WASH THEIR HANDS:
New research was done at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge with the goal of showing just how important washing your hands can be in slowing down the spread of infectious disease. The researchers started from existing data that showed there were a large number of people who did not wash their hands after using the restroom.
According to the study co-author Prof. Christos Nicolaides, 70% of people who go to the toilet wash their hands afterward.
The other 30% don’t [wash their hands]. And of those that do, only 50% do it right.
This is not acceptable in the grand scheme of things and may turn all of us into eventual germaphobes.
WASHING YOUR HANDS VS HAND SANITIZERS:
Washing and lathering you’re hands with soap has been proven to be the more effective way for shedding off bacteria and germs but what about in situations where you can’t get to a sink and don’t have water or soap? That’s where a hand sanitizer comes in. Still very effective and ideal because you can carry it with you anywhere you go. Germs are everywhere, and we cannot allow the risk of microbes traveling to our hands and making us sick. If you’re having trouble finding available hand sanitizers because they’re all sold out, then NO NEED TO WORRY. We have them here and we also have a DIY Guide on how to make your own hand sanitizer, just join our newsletter and a Free copy will be sent to you.