We’re in the midst of cold and flu season, and now we have this new thing called COVID-19, or coronavirus. You’re scared out of your mind that you’re going to catch it, and every day you hear more reports of people falling ill. I know that you are hoping for some magic fix, something that is SURE to protect you. So I would like to present to you the #1 BEST way to prevent infection. Are you ready?
Wait for it…..
………………….
Wash your hands.
Yup. That’s it. Good, proper hand washing. I know it may seem elementary, but did you know that most people don’t wash their hands correctly? Or even worse, some don’t wash their hands after using the toilet, even in the PUBLIC restroom?
On the CDC website, they have a page entitled “Clean Hands Save Lives.” Does it sound a bit outrageous? I mean, what can simple clean hands do? It turns out, they can do a lot. There is even a science behind how to properly wash your hands! With regards to the novel coronavirus, washing your hands is the best way to get rid of the virus if you’ve physically contacted it.
Hand washing is serious stuff
I am a nurse, with my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). I attended the #2 ranked nursing school in the eastern region of the United States. It was incredibly rigorous, and holding a BSN is no joke. It is a serious science degree. But did you know that one of the FIRST skills they teach us in BSN school is how to wash our hands?
It is that important folks. We want to wash at the right times, for the correct amount of time, and with the right tools. What are our tools? Warm water, regular soap, and a clean towel or paper towel. Not antibacterial soap, not hot water….and definitely no hand dryers. (Check out this nasty photo that went viral.)
How to properly wash your hands
The CDC has a page on how to wash your hands, but if you’d like the down and dirty (no pun intended) from a nurse, here is what I remember from school:
- Turn on the water faucet to warm.
- Get your hands wet and put one pump of liquid soap in your hand. (No need for excessiveness!)
- Friction is what gets rid of the germs! So start scrubbing your hands together, making sure to get in between each finger, up to your wrists, the back of your hands, under fingernails, and around rings. Do this for 20-30 seconds, or as long as it takes for you to sing the alphabet (at a normal pace). If you’re a Christian, alternatively you could pray the Lord’s Prayer!
- Rinse your hands under the warm running water, starting at your wrist to the tips of your fingers.
- Do NOT fling your hands to get rid of excess water! Let your hands hang for a couple seconds and the excess water will drip off.
- Notice that I haven’t said to turn off the water yet. (This is especially important in a public restroom.) In a public place, grab a paper towel and turn off the water. Throw that one away, and get another one to pat your hands dry. If you’re at home, you could turn the water off with your elbow and then dry your hands with a clean towel that is used only for hand-drying after proper washing.
- You’re done! If you’re leaving a public restroom, use a paper towel to open the door. I have even been known to use my foot to open the door when paper towels are not available….
When to wash your hands…and what to do without water
When should you wash your hands? After using the toilet, before preparing food or eating, after touching raw meat, before touching your face, before touching your baby, after changing a diaper, and after touching things in public like shopping carts or on public transit. In these days of the novel coronavirus, you’ll also want to wash your hands after simple activities like getting the mail or receiving a package. Those are the biggies that come to mind.
What if you don’t have access to soap and warm water? First, cold water is better than no water. Second, if there is no water, a waterless hand sanitizer will be your next best option. But guess what: you can’t just slap hand sanitizer on your hands and expect them to be clean. Yes, we were also taught in nursing school how to properly use hand sanitizer! Put a pump or squirt in your hands and rub them vigorously together (remember: friction!), getting all surfaces of your hands, until they are no longer moist. In order to dismantle COVID-19, you must use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Do you feel more empowered now that you know how to properly wash your hands? It’s no magic bullet to preventing the flu or coronavirus, but I assure you that it WILL contribute in a huge way to staying healthy! Even children should be taught how to properly wash their hands, and make a game of it if necessary. Sometimes the simplest tasks turn out to be the most powerful!