With COVID-19 coronavirus taking the world by storm, the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting sick is to wash your hands. However, quickly running your hands under water won’t quite do the trick. It only takes 1 minute and a few simple steps to clean your hands properly.
Steps on how to wash your hands
First, wet your hands under running water and apply soap. Then scrub your hands together for about 20 seconds; nearly as much time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. Don’t forget to scrub between your fingers and under your fingernails. Germs like to hide in those areas! After 20 seconds, rinse your hands thoroughly and dry using a clean towel.
The when of handwashing
Knowing when to wash your hands is equally as important as knowing how. Wash your hands before eating or preparing food and after using the restroom, handling pets, caring for ill people and sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose. While this list isn’t all-inclusive, this should give you a good idea of critical times to wash your hands.
Soap and water over hand sanitizer
If you think “Hand washing takes too long. I’ll just use hand sanitizer,” it is essential to remember that sanitizer does not kill all germs. If sanitizer is your only option, make sure that it has at least 60% alcohol. This is easy to check by looking at the label on the back of the sanitizer. Rub your hands together until all of the sanitizers have dried, which should take about 20 seconds.
By keeping these few things in mind, you’ll be on your way to preventing the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus and other germs.
If you find yourself showing symptoms of contracting COVID-19, and need a provider’s care, schedule a telemedicine appointment to see if you’re eligible (per CDC guidelines) for drive-thru testing.
