Hand hygiene

What causes illnesses like the cold or stomach flu?

Colds and stomach flu can be caused by viruses or bacteria, which are each a kind of germ. Even though many people believe so, things like cold weather and not getting enough sleep do not actually cause infections or colds or stomach flu.

While you can catch a cold from a sick person talking or coughing near you, it's more important to be conscious of the hands.

• Shaking hands with a sick person
• Touching the same objects a sick person has touched

Stomach flu can spread by

• sharing food
• shaking hands
• touching objects that a sick person has touched.

Instructions on how to sanitize your hands:

Alcohol-based sanitizer

• Put a thumbnail-size or nickel-size amount in your palm (enough to thoroughly cover your hands).
• Rub your hands together briskly until dry, no matter how many seconds it takes. Once the sanitizer is completely rubbed in, it will kill the germs on your hands.
• Be sure to get the backs of hands and between fingers.
• No rinsing or towels required.
• NOTE: If your hands are visibly dirty or soiled, wash them with soap and water at the sink instead.

Soap and water

• Turn water on to a comfortable warm temperature.
• Wet your hands and wrists.
• Rub your hands with soap. Work soap into a rich lather.
• Be sure to get the backs of hands and between fingers.
• Wash for at least 15 seconds. This may seem like a long time, but shorter washings may not remove enough germs to prevent infections from spreading.
• Rinse completely with running water.
• Dry hands with a clean towel.

Why are alcohol-based sanitizers a good option?

Hand sanitizers are a convenient way to get rid of germs when hands are not visibly soiled.

• Because water, soap or towels are not needed, hand sanitizers can be taken with you and used any time, any place. Hand sanitizers can be carried in your purse, backpack and in the car.
• They can be kept throughout the home or office — giving you and your family a convenient way to get rid of the germs on your hands.
• Many studies have shown that alcohol-based hand sanitizers cause less dryness and irritation to hands than frequently washing with soap and water.
• One advantage of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is that they do not contain antibiotics, so they will not make bacteria more resistant to antibiotics (a potential hazard of products that do contain antibiotics).

When should we sanitize our hands?

• After using the toilet
• Before eating or handling food
• After sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose
• After handling pets
• After shaking hands with people who are sick
• After changing diapers
• Before and after cleaning cuts and scrapes
• After having any contact with blood or other bodily fluids