| Good hand washing is your first line of defense | | | | it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. |
| against the spread of many illnesses. Beside the | | | | (6) Rinse hands well under running water. |
| common cold, more serious illnesses such as meningitis, | | | | (7) Dry hands using a paper towel or air dryer. |
| bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A, and most types of | | | | (8) If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the |
| infectious diarrhea can be stopped with the simple act | | | | faucet. |
| of washing your hands. The Soap and Detergent | | | | Germs - such as bacteria and viruses - can be |
| Association latest survey found that 40 percent of | | | | transmitted several different ways, especially by |
| American workers wash their hands neither often | | | | touching dirty hands or changing dirty diapers. Other |
| enough nor long enough. | | | | ways germs spread include: |
| Here are the percentages who admitted they might | | | | (1) through contaminated water and food |
| not wash their hands properly in these situations: | | | | (2) through droplets released during a cough or a |
| (1) After sneezing or coughing: 37% | | | | sneeze |
| (2) After handling animals or pets: 27% | | | | (3) through contaminated surfaces |
| (3) Before eating or handling food: 10% | | | | (4) through body fluids of a sick person |
| (4) After going to the toilet: 7% | | | | When to wash your hands: |
| A bit more than three in 10 said they would not skip or | | | | (1) each time you use the restroom. |
| skimp on hand washing in any of those situations. But | | | | (2) before and after staff meetings if food is served. |
| the remaining 69% did not make that clean-hands | | | | (3) after scanning newspapers or magazines in your |
| claim. It is not that Americans do not know hand | | | | break room. |
| washing is important. Two-thirds said hand washing is | | | | (4) before and after your lunch. |
| the best way to stop the spread of germs, and more | | | | (5) after using your-friend keyboard or tools. |
| than three-quarters said they had become more | | | | (6) before and after a meet and greet activity in your |
| aware of hygiene importance in the last few years. | | | | office. |
| If you need to brush up on your hand-washing, here | | | | (7) when using shared office equipment like faxes, |
| are some tips from the CDC: | | | | phones, etc. |
| (1) Wash your hands with soap and clean running | | | | If kids pick up germs from one of these sources, they |
| water for 20 seconds. | | | | can unknowingly become infected simply by touching |
| (2) Wet your hands with clean running water and apply | | | | their eyes, nose, or mouth. And once they are infected, |
| soap. | | | | it is usually just a matter of time before the whole |
| (3) Use warm water if available. | | | | family comes down with the same illness. Do not |
| (4) Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all | | | | underestimate the power of hand washing! The few |
| hand surfaces. | | | | seconds you spend at the sink with your child could |
| (5) Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds -- the time | | | | save you trips to the doctor office. |