Handwashing Awareness Week

Posted by Kathy Quan Dec 4, 2006

Flu season is just getting started and the single-most effective ways to help stop the spread of germs and disease is to practice good handwashing. It seems like plain old common sense, yet so many don't even wash their hands after using the bathroom! And a public restroom at that!

Hand sanitizers work well as a substitute for soap and water if you don't have access to them. However, the most effective ones have a high alcohol content and can be flamable, so care must be taken to prevent injury.

Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis first demonstrated the effectiveness of handwashing in preventing the spread of disease in the 19th century. Read more about his discovery at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.