The global outbreak of the COVID-19 or the coronavirus is a pandemic now. Panic and anxiety are now reigning everywhere. As of today, India has reported 80 cases of COVID-19. Although our country is one of the lesser affected nations, it is important to remember that the symptoms can take upto two weeks to develop. In such a situation, it is important to remember to take all necessary precautions for your own safety and that of the others. The World Health Organisation has recommended washing hands as one of the key practices to avoid the spread of the virus.
Germs can get onto your hands and people and things you touch throughout the day. When your hands are dirty, it’s best to wash with soap and water to remove whatever germs and chemicals may be on them.
What’s The Right Way To Wash Your Hands
To ensure proper washing of hands, it is important to remove all kinds of accessories such as rings, watches and bangles from your fingers and wrists.
Open the tap and wet your hands with water.
Use a liquid soap with a pump to ensure maximum hygiene. Use enough soap to cover all parts of your hand. An average of 2 pumps (3ml) is usually enough for an average-sized hand.
Using soap to wash hands is more effective than using water alone, but if water is all you have to rub your hands together under it and wipe off with a clean towel or air dry. When hands are not visibly dirty you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol.
After lathering the soap, rub your hands from palm to palm and then place left palm over your right dorsum with interlaced fingers and vice versa.
The Better India’s “BETTER TOGETHER” initiative has brought together civil service officers from across the country as they help migrant labourers, daily wage earners, frontline workers, and all those who need our help most in these troubled times. You can join us and support them in this fight against COVID-19.
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Rub your palms with your fingers interlaced and then rub your left thumb in a rotational motion, clasped in the right palm and vice versa.
Rub your palms with clasped fingers in a rotational motion. First with the right hand in left palm and vice versa.
This process should last upto 20 seconds. An easy way to keep track of the time would be to hum the ‘Happy Birthday’ song once.
Rinse your hands thoroughly and dry off your hands with a single-use towel or a clean reusable towel.
It is ideal to cut your nails during this season to avoid further accumulation of dirt and germs.
When Should We Wash Our Hands?
The easiest answer to this would be to wash your hands as often as possible but you must always wash your hands:
Before and after eating food
Before, during, and after preparing food
Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick
After using the toilet
After changing diapers or cleaning a child who has used the toilet
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
After handling pet food or pet treats
After touching garbage
This can avoid the spread of germs and keep your family safe and healthy.
(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)