September 23rd, 2020

Prevent the spread of cold and flu with regular hand washing
 
In the mid 19th Century Ignaz Semmelweis and Florence Nightingale pioneered hand washing as prevention against the spread of infection.  This simple practice revolutionised health care and public health.  It is  still as important today as it was then.
 
Hand washing is the most effective means of preventing the spread of infection, including winter colds, and flu.  
 
Hand washing needs to be done before:

• eating or preparing food

 
and after:

• sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose or a child’s.
• gardening or playing outside
• contact with animals
• going to the toilet or changing nappies
• looking after sick people

 
Hand washing is not just putting a little soap on your hands and running them under the tap.  It requires soap that froths, cleaning all the surfaces of the hands for at least 20 seconds.
 
The following 7 steps for good hand washing are: 

Step 1:           Turn on taps; adjust water temperature to desired heat.
Step 2:            Wet hands under running water.
Step 3:            Apply soap to palm of hand (use a soap that froths up well)
Step 4:            Ensure contact of soap with all surfaces for at least 20 seconds, refer to the
                        following:

​                           a)  Palm to palm                 b) Right palm over left back                 c) Palm to palm fingers
                                                                                   of hand and vice versa                           interlaced.                                        

                               d) Backs of fingers to        e)  Rotational rubbing of            f) Rotational rubbing, backwards and
                                         opposing palms with          right thumb clasped                   forwards with clasped fingers of right
                                         fingers interlocked.             in left palm and vice                   hand in left palm and vice versa.  
                                                                                        versa.

Step 5:           Rinse hands thoroughly for about 20 seconds, as long as it takes to sing Happy
                        Birthday through twice.
Step 6:           Dry hands thoroughly with clean towel or paper towel.
Step 7:           Where possible turn taps off with elbows or paper towel (avoid hand contact with
                        taps and door handles).
 
NB      Any broken skin areas should be covered with a dressing.            
 
 
Hand washing technique
(Aycliffe et al, 1978, Lawrence 1985)