Protection against the Coronavirus: How often should you wash your hands
Because the Coronavirus is a flu virus very similar to it, are also the strategies on how to protect themselves, comparable.
Regular and thorough washing of hands takes an important place.
This is a new study out of England shows.
Wash hands at least six to ten times a day
A study carried out at University College London under Dr. Sarah Beale with 1.663 subjects, shows how effective a hand-washing routine, in the case of the man comes at least to the recommended six times a day, reduces the risk of infection.
Who washes more than ten times a day, the hands, does not reduce the risk of contamination even further.
The decisive factor is not only the frequency, but also is, however, how to wash the hands.
If you Songs like Happy Birthday or Happy and You Know It sings, the recommended minimum duration of twenty seconds.
Considering, in addition, the following areas thoroughly to lather, nothing should go wrong:
- Back of the hand
- The areas between the fingers
- Ankle
- Finger tips and nails
- Thumb
- Palms
- Wrist
- Back of the hand for a second Time
Many experts recommend following the Wash the faucet with a towel or your elbow to turn off, to avoid re-contamination.
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Frequent hand washing can integrate into everyday life
Dr. Sarah Beale stressed the importance of washing your hands, regardless of whether one has already been infected with the Coronavirus or not. Also, further expert are of the view that the proper hand washing routine is the ultimate means to contain the Coronavirus. Therefore, it is also necessarily a preventative measure.
To wash after Sneezing or coughing, and before cooking and eating, the hands for many, it is already normal.
In corona times you should wash in addition to the hands, once you move out there or public transport has to be used.
Everyday things – like going to the bakery, in the case of the pressing the traffic light button, which uses a doorknob or use of cash – not so at risk.
Sources
- Beale S, Johnson AM, Zambon M et al. Hand Hygiene Practices and the Risk of Human Coronavirus Infections in a UK Community Cohort [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. Wellcome Open Res In 2020, 5:98
- Roberts, M. (2020): Coronavirus: ‘Wash hands at least six times a day’, retrieved on 22.05.2020 https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52720089
Kimberly Papenthin
*The contribution of “protection against the Coronavirus: How often should you published the washing of hands” is of FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.
