World Hand Hygiene Day, step by step to maintain good hygiene habits

This Sunday, October 15, marks World Handwashing Day, and the Regional Health Secretariat calls on citizens to practice appropriate hand hygiene measures to prevent infections and related diseases.

Handwashing is a simple, cost-effective act and one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria from person to person and within the community; this includes your home, your workplace, daycares and hospitals, it’s Actions that people should prioritize in their daily lives.

Sol Beltrán, deputy director of public health surveillance, said in the post that keeping hands clean can prevent one in three diarrheal diseases and one in five respiratory infections such as colds, flu or Covid-19:

https://twitter.com/SectorSalud/status/1713529681260015976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Step by step practice of good hand hygiene

The Ministry of Health recommends following these 11 steps for handwashing, which should last 40 to 60 seconds:

1. Wet your hands with water.
2. Place enough soap on the palm of your hand to cover the surface of your hands.
3. Rub your palms together.
4. Rub the palm of your right hand against the back of your left hand, interlacing your fingers, or vice versa.
5. Rub your palms together and interlock your fingers.
6. Rub the back of the fingers of one hand with the palm of your other hand and hold the fingers together.
7. Rub your left thumb in a rotating motion and grasp it with the palm of your right hand, or vice versa.
8. Make a rotating motion by rubbing the fingertips of your right hand against your left hand, and vice versa.
9. Rinse hands with water.
10. Dry your hands with a disposable towel.
11. Use a towel to turn off the faucet.

Bogotá strengthens handwashing strategy

In recent years, the Ministry of Health has been strengthening its strategy to promote handwashing in the community, raising awareness and understanding of its importance, and prioritizing the promotion of procedures that prevent the spread of infection due to lack of or correct hand hygiene. It has also reduced the risk of infection in hospitals. Morbidity and mortality caused by acquired infections.

This year, the strategy’s slogan is “We’re within reach.” To this end, the entity calls on the facilitators and administrators of public and private IPS, as well as citizens at large, to actively participate in promoting this fundamental practice in people’s lives.

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of hand hygiene, whether through washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based sanitizers, as this behavior helps break the chain of viruses and the spread of other diseases. The first line of defense to contain it.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 3 million children worldwide die every year from illnesses such as diarrhea, fever, hepatitis B, salmonellosis, pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses that are easily spread through microorganisms that accumulate on their hands. – WHO.

In this sense, the Ministry of Health invites the community to wash their hands before preparing or eating food and touching their eyes, nose or mouth, after going to the toilet, playing, touching pets or picking up dirty things; exposure to public transport and spaces, spaces Cough, sneeze or blow your nose and change diapers while on public transport.