In the era of the pandemic, proper and frequent handwashing is the primary method of preventing SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection, and is recommended for healthy, infected and sick people, as well as medical personnel.
Hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of viruses, including the COVID-19 coronavirus. How do you effectively wash your hands and what else can you do to minimize the risk of infection and spread of the virus?
Proper and regular hand washing is an effective method of preventing the spread of infection.
Read: Coronavirus – what do you need to know?
Viruses don’t like high temperatures
The researchers analyzed 22 studies of human coronaviruses (including MERS and SARS) and found that they can survive outside the host’s body, such as on glass or plastic surfaces, for up to nine days. They also observed that the chances of coronaviruses surviving on surfaces decrease at temperatures of 30-40ºC and when confronted with disinfectants.
Unfortunately, we wash our hands too infrequently and usually incorrectly. Dr. Albert Vilella, a bioinformatician at Cambridge Epigenetix, posted a graphic on Twitter depicting which areas we are repeatedly skipping. There are more on the outside of the hands, with germs most often remaining on the thumb and fingernails.
It has been known for a long time that hand washing can help fight the spread of viruses, including the influenza virus and COVID-19 coronavirus, among others. How do you wash your hands properly?
First: timing is important – we wash our hands for 15-30 seconds. We can recite the alphabet during this time, for example. We wash our hands in plenty of warm water with soap. Thoroughly spread the soap on the top and bottom of the hands, we also wash the spaces between the fingers. Let’s not forget the wrists.
Hand Hygiene – What you should know about it
- Hands are the primary route of transmission (transfer) of microorganisms.
- With your hands you touch various surfaces – for example, doorknobs, bus handrails, tabletop, which can be contaminated with microorganisms, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Then you touch your nose, eyes, mouth – the virus enters your mucous membranes and infection occurs.
- Hand washing removes most microorganisms – up to 90 percent – from your hands.
- It is considered a simple, cheap, effective and easily accessible method of preventing infection.
- It is suggested that children should wash their hands more often because of their tendency to touch different surfaces and touch their faces frequently.
Coronavirus when to wash hands?
- Before and during, meal preparation.
- Before eating a meal.
- Before and after caring for a sick person.
- Before and after dressing wounds.
- After using the toilet.
- After blowing your nose, coughing episode, sneezing.
- After playing with your pet, feeding your pet or cleaning up your pet’s droppings.
- After contact with waste (such as taking out the garbage).
- After changing diapers or helping a toddler use the toilet.
- After returning home from various public places, i.e. public transportation, store.
- After unpacking shopping