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Here is the reminder I promised you last month: National Hand Washing Week begins December 2nd. What better time to think about healthy hygiene than cold and flu season? It could mean the difference between getting sick or staying well. According to champion hand washer, Henry the Hand, there are four principles of hand awareness:
Above all, do not put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth.
Henry’s pretty smart, but he forgot my favorite germ prevention tip—don’t touch anything in a bathroom, especially one used by the public, with your bare hand. Think of what people have been doing before they turn on a faucet or push down on the soap dispenser. Many do their business and don’t wash afterwards. Icky! Whether it’s a powder room or latrine, I never leave without using a paper towel or tissue to pull open the door. I’m not the only one. When businesses and organizations fail to place a trash receptacle next to the bathroom exit, there is always a pile of crumpled towels on the floor near the door.
This must not be true in lavatories for gents. When my husband and I had coffee with neighbors last month, the man told of seeing another fellow do everything he could when leaving to avoid touching the door with his newly washed hands. That doesn’t seem strange to me. I told my friend he obviously hasn’t been in a ladies’ room.
The man he observed is not the norm. According to an article in USA Today, one-third of men do not wash their hands after they relieve themselves. The article cited information provided in a survey released by the American Society for Microbiology, co-sponsored by the Soap and Detergent Association. They found that both men and women hedge on the truth as to how often they really do wash their hands, but men are the worst offenders. The research is based on information obtained by Harris Interactive, whose investigators observed behavior in public rest rooms. They also conducted a telephone survey that found most people don’t lather up after touching money, coughing or sneezing. They reported that hand washing has actually decreased in recent years.
Maybe we need to relearn the art of lathering that went hand-in-hand with potty-training. Years ago, in a Today Show segment, Katie Couric said the Happy Birthday song is the perfect length for a good scrub. Try it. I did, and realized I hadn’t been giving the job as much time as it warrants.
Do yourself a favor. Visit Henry the Champion Hand Washer’s Web site (www.henrythehand.com). Sing along with Henry’s theme song. Sign up for his hand washing contest. As Henry says, “It’s Easy!” Just keep a record of how often you wash your hands during the week of December 2-8 and fill out the form on the site. Henry has a poster competition and jingle-writing contest, too. Prize winners receive Henry the Hand tee shirts.