The Gazette | See how washing your hands helps prevent diseases

Washing your hands is a simple act, but it can save lives. The practice combats the spread of diseases which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), are reduced by up to 40% with the habit.

“There are some diseases, viral and bacterialthat can be transmitted through contact with unwashed handsas covid-19, flu, conjunctivitis, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, mononucleosis, herpes zoster, hepatitis A, gastroenterocolitisamong others”, explains Felipe Moreno, infectious disease specialist at Hospital Evangélico de Sorocaba (HES).

Lack of hand hygiene allows germs to accumulate, creating a cycle of contamination that can spread quickly, especially in the hospital environment. This happens in some situations, such as touching your eyes, nose and mouth with dirty hands, preparing or eating food without washing your hands and touching contaminated surfaces. Touching other people’s hands after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing can also transmit these germs.

There is no secret to ensuring hand hygiene. The process involves a few simple but important steps. First, wet your hands with clean running water. Right away, apply enough soap to cover the entire surface of your hands and rub them vigorously for at least 20 seconds, ensuring all areas are clean. Don’t forget to rub your wrists too. Then, rinse your hands well with running water to completely remove soap and germs. Finally, dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel.

The infectious disease specialist explains that correct hand hygiene is necessary before using gloves, and that one thing does not replace the other. Alcohol gel, in turn, should only be used in cases where it is not possible to wash with soap and water. He also clarifies that it is not necessary to apply alcohol gel to your hands after washing them. “Just one of the two is enough. Another myth is that antibacterial soaps are more efficient than common soaps”, demystifies Felipe Moreno.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, hand hygiene was a frequently discussed topic, as the practice was one of the main ways to prevent the spread of the virus. According to the doctor, it is notable that, after the pandemic, many people no longer take the same care as before with hand hygiene. “Not only Covid-19, but also other diseases had their incidence rates reduced with greater adherence to hygiene. But the same rates rise when adherence worsens”, concludes the expert.

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