HAND HYGIENE
The Importance of Hand Hygiene
Washing your hands properly is one of the most important things you can do to help prevent and control the spread of many illnesses. Good hand hygiene will reduce the risk of things like flu, food poisoning and healthcare-associated infections being passed from person to person. Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitiser are the most effective ways to prevent the spread of illness and infections.
When you need to clean your hands:
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Before and after preparing or eating food
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Before treating wounds or caring for sick person
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Before picking up an infant and changing a nappy
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After using the bathroom or changing a nappy
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After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
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After Handling rubbish
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After contact with body fluids (blood, saliva, vomit etc.)
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After touching animals, animal food or animal waste
The Power of Hand Sanitiser
The World Health Organization (WHO), stated that alcohol-based hand sanitiser is one of the best tools available to avoid getting sick and spreading germs. The Alcohol-based hand sanitiser works by attacking and destroying the envelope protein that surrounds some viruses, including coronaviruses! This protein is vital for a virus’s survival and multiplication. Hand sanitisers need to be at least 60% alcohol to have any effect on these viruses.
HOW TO SANITISE YOUR HANDS CORRECTLY
Hand Sanitiser can help protect you from infections (both viral and bacterial) when used correctly and in the right scenarios. Make sure any visible dirt is removed from your hands prior to sanitising. Apply Sanitiser that is at least 70% alcohol and follow the below instructions:
The Impact of COVID-19 on Hand Hygiene
The Coronavirus Pandemic has brought about unprecedented public health measures around the world. With governments adopting self-isolation, social distancing and running mass campaigns on hygiene practises helping protect and stop the spread of COVID-19. People are more educated and rigorous about hygiene routines, increasing the number of times we clean our hands each day, aware of what we touch and conscious when in public about keeping our distance from others.
According to WHO, all workplaces should be providing sanitising hand rub dispensers in prominent places around the workplace, to reduce and limit the spread of coronavirus in their workplace. Australia’s key retail industry groups have united to release a ‘Retail Recovery Protocol for COVID-19’ to assure the community, including retail employees and customers, are safe in retail stores and shopping centres. Number one on the list is making alcohol-based hand sanitiser available at key locations such as store entrances, building entrances, customer service desks and food courts.
The impact of COVID-19 will create significant changes in the way we live, how we interact and provide comfort and care to our customers and staff. As research suggests, we expect these new hygiene measures will remain in place and become part of the bigger picture in protecting public health and providing our communities with confidence.
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