DISCLAIMER: Rules, regulations, and science about the UK pandemic may have changed since this article was written in March 2020, for updated news visit the World Health Organisation or the NHS website.
There are five easy steps to wash your hands:
Hand washing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. They can help the spread from person to person as well as from hands to surfaces and vice versa.
The Coronavirus outbreak has made hand washing even more important to prevent the spread of this possibly deadly virus. You should take care to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds often and well, this could help keep you and others around you safe.
In the current climate you may wish to introduce a more rigorous hand washing routine. Some essential times to be washing your hands should be:
1. when you get to work or arrive home
2. when you get on or off public transport
3. before eating food
4. before or after preparing food
5. after using the toilet
6. before or after treating someone who is ill
7. after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
Our five step guide below outlines how you should be washing your hands to eliminate germs and keep yourself safe.
Warm or cold water is fine
Remember to lather on the backs of your hands as well as between fingers and under nails
Humming or singing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice is a good way to time yourself! You can find a video here outlining the World Health Organisations steps to hand washing.
Make sure to wash off all the suds and leave your hands feeling sparkling!
You can also allow them to air dry, remember to turn off the tap preferably using a paper towel to avoid touching the tap.