Protection against colds It is particularly important to thoroughly wash your hands

Worldwide day of action to raise awareness about hand hygiene

On the 15th of October the time has come again: For the seventh time the International Day of Hand Washing (Global Handwashing Day) will take place. In many countries this day is increasingly pursued the goal of educating about the need for hygiene and hand washing. Because especially in the cold period, a thorough and regular hand hygiene is important to stay healthy. Experts explain why hand washing is important and what you should look for.

Regular hand washing is often omitted

Regular cleaning of the hands should not only be a matter of course on Global Handwashing Day. Whether before eating, after shopping in the supermarket or the day in the office - from the expert's point of view, hand washing is the most important hygiene rule in order to protect yourself from numerous illnesses. In daily routine, however, washing hands is often too short, as a representative forsa survey commissioned by the Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) revealed.

Only a thorough cleaning of the hands ensures that pathogens are really rinsed off the skin. (Image: Alexander Raths / fotolia.com)

Pathogens often spread over the hands

For example, every third German refrained from washing his hands before eating, reports the KKH in a recent press release. The survey shows that also one third of the respondents do not go to the sink after coming home. In contrast, one in five washes their hands during the day even at least once an hour, informs the health insurance.

Regular hand hygiene is especially important in the upcoming cold period, because "many viruses are spreading just about the hands very often," explains Eugen Rebhan of the service team of the KKH Commercial Health Insurance in Coburg. "It's been proven that regular and thorough hand washing reduces the risk of getting colds, flu and other infections," says Rebhan.

Rinse for 20 to 30 seconds

However, it is important that the hands are not only held fast under the tap, but are thoroughly cleaned. Because for a good protection against infectious diseases, the hand washing must take place properly and long enough. From the expert's point of view, 20 to 30 seconds are necessary to flush out all pathogens, says the KKH report. To get a feel for this time, UNICEF Unicef ​​recommends singing the song "Happy Birthday" twice when washing your hands.

Antibacterial soap is unnecessary

Water alone is not enough, it would be better to lather your hands with soap or washing lotion. "The water temperature is not relevant according to research. It is much more important to carefully dry the hands afterwards so that the microorganisms do not have a moist environment for retransmission, "says Rebhan.

Also, it does not have to be a special antibacterial soap. Researchers from South Korea have been able to show that this usually has no additional benefit and that cleaning with a soap containing chemicals does not result in bacteria-free hands.

WHO creates a hands-washing day

The International Hand Washing Day was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO). Partners include Unicef, the World Bank, and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Day of Action first took place in 2008, and is celebrated by hundreds of millions around the world every year, according to the organizers.

Schools, day-care centers, playgrounds and other public institutions in many countries are working on hand hygiene on 15 October to remind adults and children to wash their hands. (No)