It only takes more than 20 seconds of washing to get clean hands. But it is important to do it properly, because this can prevent infection. Knowing how to wash hands will be helpful especially during this outbreak.
Hamad Medical Corporation shared a video on how to clean one’s hands properly. The video runs for 40 seconds, and shows the steps that need to be done from the moment one turns on the faucet.
The Importance of Hand Washing
Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infection. One just needs soap and water to accomplish this goal.
Hamad Medical Corporation shared an instructional video to show how hand washing is properly done. Here are the steps as shown in the 40-second video:
Washing your hands regularly is one of the most important things you can do to protect your self from COVID-19. Make sure you wash your hands for more than 20 seconds and with correct technique#YourSafetyIsMySafety pic.twitter.com/Lm8RoYO87N
— مؤسسة حمد الطبية (@HMC_Qatar) March 27, 2020
- Wet hands with water
- Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces
- Rub hands palm to palm
- Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa
- Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
- Backs of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked
- Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa
- Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa
- Rinse hands with water
- Dry hands with single use tissue
- Use towel to turn off faucet (Source: World Health Organization)
Health and medical organizations are actively promoting the importance of hand washing or hand hygiene. According to the World Health organization, the hand can transmit germs from one place to another. Thus, it is important that hand is washed often. It also makes sense to keep nails short.
Though some places don’t have access to water, efforts should be exerted to be able to wash hands using soap and water. It should also become a habit to wash hands often.
Another option is to hand rub, using alcohol. This procedure from the World Health Organization takes about 20-30 seconds to ensure that hand hygiene. Take note that it is still preferred to wash using soap and water when the hands are dirty. Here are the steps:
- Apply a palmful of the product in a cupped hand, covering all the surfaces
- Rub hands palm to palm
- Right palm over left dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa
- Palm to palm with fingers interlaced
- Back of fingers to opposing palms with fingers interlocked
- Rotational rubbing of left thumb clasped in right palm and vice versa
- Rotational rubbing, backwards and forwards with clasped fingers of right hand in left palm and vice versa
- Hands are safe when it is dried
If we look back in history, some outbreaks occurred due to lack of hygiene. Now that we have access to better health care, let us do our part in keeping ourselves clean and sanitized.