Hand Hygiene to Maintain Good Health

It's that time of the year, again..new clothes, new backpack, new crayons.....Back to School!!!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), keeping hands clean is key to avoiding getting sick and spreading germs to others. With the common cold accounting for nearly 22 million school days lost annually, the back-to-school season is a critical time to review proper hand hygiene. Effective hand hygiene practices include washing hands frequently with soap and water, and when soap and water are not available, using an alcohol-based instant hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol.

Proper handwashing procedure, according toCDC instructions:

Wet hands with clean,warm water and apply soap.

Rub hands together to create lather and scrub all surfaces (including between fingers and under nails).

Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds (about the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday).

Rinse hands under running water.

Dry hands thoroughly.

Proper use of hand sanitizers:
Apply alcohol-based hand sanitizer to the palm of one hand.

Rub hands together—so that product covers all surfaces of hands and fingers—until hands are dry.

Then: remind, remind, remind. Encourage your children to wash their hands frequently
throughout the day, particularly before eating, and after using the bathroom and playing outside.

Good Luck to all of you who have little ones going to school for the first time or are returning to school this week!!

PS: Football season is finally here!!! Friday night, Saturday afternoon, Sunday afternoon, Monday night!!!! Whew, what's a girl to do???