Global Handwashing Day: Be Healthy, Wash Regularly
By Geneva Mae Yu
Global Handwashing Day is celebrated annually on October 15th, and it is a global advocacy dedicated to promoting good hygiene practices. The purpose of this commemoration is to elevate recognition and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and inexpensive way to prevent diseases and stay healthy. Established by means of the Global Handwashing Partnership in 2008, Global Handwashing Day has grown to be an integral platform for promoting appropriate hygiene practices worldwide. Highlighting the importance of handwashing, this day aims to inspire individuals, families, and communities to make handwashing an everyday part of their daily routines.
Steps on Washing Hands:
1. Wet your hands with clean, running water. Make sure the water is at a comfortable temperature.
2. Apply enough soap to cover all surfaces of your hands. It is important to use soap as it helps to remove dirt, germs, and other harmful substances effectively.
3. Rub your hands together to create foam. Make sure to scrub all surfaces of your hands, including the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. This step should take at least 20 seconds.
4. Pay special attention to your fingertips, as they are commonly missed during handwashing. Use your other hand to rub the fingertips of the opposite hand in a circular motion.
5. Rinse your hands thoroughly under clean, running water. Ensure that all soap is removed from your hands.
6. Dry your hands using a clean towel or an air dryer. If possible, use disposable paper towels or an automatic air dryer to avoid re-contaminating your hands.
Washing your hands for 20 seconds might just be the key to prevent you from getting sick and spreading germs to others. Keep in mind to wash your hands during times you are most likely to be exposed to germs or spread them. These include:
- After using the bathroom
- Before and after eating food
- Before, during, and after preparing food
- After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose
- Before and after taking care of someone who is sick
- Before and after treating a wound
- After touching garbage
- After playing with an animal or cleaning up animal waste
To ensure that you wash your hands for 20 seconds, you can sing a song! You can sing the usual “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice but here are some other songs with choruses that go on for 20 seconds for you to choose from:
- “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys
- “Toxic” by Britney Spears
- “Love on Top” by Beyonce
- “Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars
- “Araw-Araw” by Ben&Ben
- “Kill This Love” by Blackpink
- “Raining in Manila” by Lola Amour
- “ON” by BTS
- “Best Song Ever” by One Direction
- “My Shot” from Hamilton
Handwashing with clean soap is one of the highest-quality approaches in stopping the spread of diseases. Germs can without difficulty unfold from character to person through touch; and many diseases start when hands grow to be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria or viruses. Regular handwashing with soap and water can cast off these germs and prevent the spread of illnesses such as cold, flu, diarrhea, pneumonia and covid-19 by promoting proper hand hygiene practices. Global Handwashing Day plays a vital position in stopping the unfolding of diseases and defending public health. By advertising handwashing awareness, Global Handwashing Day can make a contribution to better enhance the excellence of existence for folks and communities globally.
References
Global Handwashing Day. (n.d.) Retrieved October 6, 2023, from globalhandwashing.org/global-handwashing-day/
About Global Handwashing Day. (n.d.) Retrieved October 6, 2023, from globalhandwashing.org/global-handwashing-day/about-ghd/
Global Handwashing Day. (n.d.) Retrieved October 6, 2023, from www.cdc.gov/handwashing/global-handwashing-day.html
Global Handwashing Day. (n.d.) Retrieved October 6, 2023, from www.cleaninginstitute.org/global-handwashing-day
Health — The Global Handwashing …. (n.d.) Retrieved October 6, 2023, from globalhandwashing.org
Global Handwashing Day 2021. (n.d.) Retrieved October 6, 2023, from www.unicef.org