The Department of Health is launching the ‘Clean Hands Every Time’ campaign. This campaign builds on work recently undertaken to raise awareness for preventing the spread of MRSA in sporting facilities, as well as reinforcing the messages given regularly by the Infection Control Team in Noble’s Hospital to promote effective hand hygiene.
It sounds easy enough, but without proper hand hygiene, 80 percent of infections are transmitted through touch.
There are three main messages in this campaign:
· Clean your hands frequently: Thoroughly washing the hands with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds - rubbing to get lots of bubbles all over the hands to loosen and remove the oils and germs, followed by a good rinse and then drying properly. Moisturising your hands regularly is also very important for both men and women.
· Remember when to wash: After you use the toilet, change a nappy, touch an animal, blow your nose, cough or sneeze, or handle rubbish. It is also important to wash before preparing or eating food, treating wounds or giving medicine, and tending to a sick or injured person.
· ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’: You can reduce the spread of germs by covering your nose and mouth with a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough. If you don’t have a tissue, coughing or sneezing into your arm rather than into your hands is preferred.
To support the campaign, the Health Protection Team in the Department of Health’s Public Health Directorate has produced posters and leaflets to remind people of the importance of both washing and drying their hands effectively. Please telephone 642645 to request printed copies or downloadable copies can be found on our website pages at www.gov.im/publichealth.
Minister for Health, Mr David Anderson MHK, said “Having clean hands in the Hospital is very important, but we live our lives all over the Island and it is here in the community where the majority of diseases are spread, such as colds and flu, MRSA, and diarrhoea and vomiting. I was shocked when informed that two-thirds of the population do not wash and dry their hands at important times during the day.”
Dr Kishore, Director of Public Health added “Unfortunately there are some misconceptions about how and when hand-washing should be done. If hands are kept clean, the transmission of germs from person to person is greatly reduced.”
Health Protection Nurse Pam Kermode also commented, adding “People will often wash their hands if they are visibly dirty. However, as you touch people, surfaces and objects, you accumulate on your hands germs that are not visible to the naked eye. Although it's impossible to keep your hands germ-free, washing your hands frequently can help limit the transfer of germs, so protecting yourself and others from harmful diseases.
“The Department of Health works constantly to stress the importance of proper hand hygiene. Washing hands effectively is easy. It is recommended that we sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice through whilst rubbing all parts of the hands with soapy bubbles. If you can’t get to a sink, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel, but remember that some viruses are not killed by these hand-rubs.
Dr Kishore summed up by saying “We need to go back to basics and use good old soap and water. Hand-washing doesn't take much time or effort, but it offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness. Remember, clean hands every time!”
- ENDS -
Friday 18th, February 2011 09:36pm.
