Proper hand hygiene is an easy way to prevent infection
There’s an easy way to ward off the aches and pains of cold and flu season this year – clean your hands often with an alcohol gel sanitizer.
“Frequent fifteen-second rubs with alcohol gel is really what we want to encourage,” says Dr. Geoff Fernie, vice president of research at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Canada’s largest provider of adult rehabilitation services. “While good old fashioned soap and water is still an effective way to get soiled hands clean, there are greater germ killing benefits to using an alcohol rub.”
Proper hand sanitizing can prevent the spread of colds, flu, food borne illnesses and some gastrointestinal disorders. Germs accumulate through everyday interaction and you could get infected by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth after touching a doorknob or shaking hands. While some people can get over an illness quickly, some infections can have catastrophic consequences for older adults and those with a weakened immune system.
Disinfecting your hands properly is such an important way to prevent infections that Dr. Fernie is researching ways for hospital staff and other health care providers to keep even cleaner by making sure their hands are sanitized properly during the course of their busy days.
But for the rest of us, Dr. Fernie suggests carrying multiple bottles of alcohol gel sanitizer and using it often.
“I keep a bottle of sanitizer in my car, one in my coat pocket, one on my desk, and one on my kitchen table at home,” adds Dr. Fernie.
Today, many alcohol gel sanitizers come with ingredients to prevent dry skin which makes it less irritating than even hand washing.
To get the most out of your sanitizer, Dr. Fernie recommends following these easy steps:
. Apply about half a teaspoon of the product to the palm of your hand.
. Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces of your hands until they’re dry.
When looking at the products, check the hand sanitizer label to make sure it’s alcohol-based. To effectively kill germs and stop the spread of infections, Dr. Fernie advises using a hand sanitizer that contains at least sixty percent of alcohol.
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