Hand washing has been a long time tradition for personal hygiene. Before now, we had to wash our hands only when we got our hands dirty, before and after meals, and after using the toilet.
With the arrival of the novel Coronavirus, COVID-19, the need to wash our hands properly has become more than just personal hygiene, but a practice that should be carried out regularly to save us from the life-threatening virus.
Sadly, many people do not know the correct way of handwashing. It is dangerous because not washing the hands properly is as good as not washing the hands at all.
The World Health Organisation has given a step by step guideline on proper handwashing. It is important to note that effective handwashing is done with soap and running water.
The following are steps for proper handwashing:
- Wet the hands thoroughly under running water
- Apply soap
- Rub hand. palm to palm to make the soap lather well
- Rub right palm on the back of the left hand and vice versa
- Rub palms again with interlaced fingers
- Rub the back of fingers with the opposite palm with finger interlaced
- Rub rotationally the right thumb clasped in left hand
- Rub the top of finger rotationally with clasped hands on the opposite hand
- Rinse thoroughly under running water
- Dry hands with disposable tissue
Put off the tap with your elbow or with the disposable tissue paper.
Handwashing should be carried out for about 1 minute to ensure its effectiveness.
