1. Importance of Handwashing
Chatham County Public Health Department
Epiphany of realization that handwashing was important.

2. prevent illnesses & spread of infections to others
Handwashing removes germs from hands
People touch their eyes, nose, and mouth
Germs get into food & drinks
During food preparation & consumption
A single gram of human feces—which is about the weight of a paper clip—can contain one trillion germs.
Germs enter the body through these orifices and make us sick.
Germs multiply in foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.    

3. prevent illnesses & spread of infections to others
Germs are transferred to other objects
handwashing helps prevent
diarrhea & respiratory infections
skin and eye infections
Handrails, table tops, or door handles, and then transferred to another person’s hands
Salmonella, E. coli, and norovirus are just some of the of the illnesses that can be passed from unclean hands
Norovirus: Virus with symptoms of stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting
Causes million illnesses and deaths annually
Most common cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S.
Salmonella: Bacteria that makes people sick with symptoms of diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps lasting 4-7 days
Causes 1 million illnesses and 450 deaths annually
E. Coli: Bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals and causes diarrhea and nausea
About 2.2 million children under the age of 5 die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, the top two killers of young children around the world.
Handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and almost 1 out of 6 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia.
From CDC website:

4. American Society of Microbiology 2010 studies showed
Washing after bathroom use
Improvement of handwashing in males
Women are the champs
Washing after coughing or sneezinG
In the 2010 observational study showed 85% of adults washed their hands in public restrooms, compared with 77% in The highest observed since these studies began in 1996.
39% of Americans say that they always wash after coughing or sneezing

5. Steps for Proper Handwashing
Wet your hands with running water (100°F or as hot as you can stand it)
Add Soap
Scrub for 20 seconds
Rinse thoroughly under running water
Dry hands and arms with a single-use paper towel or hand dryer
Clean under your fingernails & between fingers

6. When to Wash Your Hands After using the restroom
Sneezing, coughing, or using a handkerchief or tissue
Before eating & drinking
Taking out trash
After handling pets
Touching anything that may contaminate hands
Door knobs, faucet and toilet handles
Study conducted in schools – basketballs had the most bacteria due to uneven surface

7. Questions??