Washing your hands pays off - effective protection against infectious diseases
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 80% of all infectious diseases are transmitted via the hands. These include illnesses such as mild colds, flu and contagious gastrointestinal infections - but also the coronavirus. Most pathogens are literally passed from hand to hand. Others get onto our skin via contaminated objects.
For example, a keyboard and telephone can harbour 400 times more germs than a toilet seat. Bacteria can survive for up to 5 months on door handles. The pathogens on the fingers and hands themselves do not pose a direct health risk. However, most people touch their face several times a day and frequently touch their mouth, nose and eyes. The bacteria and viruses enter the body unhindered via the mucous membranes.
Work absences due to illness lead to productivity losses and generate high costs. German companies incur costs totalling 130 billion euros per year as a result of diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems. Many studies have shown that hand washing reduces the incidence of infectious diseases. It is even estimated that washing hands thoroughly with soap and water reduces the number of germs to one thousandth or less.
Tips for effective hand hygiene
Washing your hands is worth it! Regardless of the time of year or the current health situation, it should be an integral part of everyday life . This not only serves to protect yourself, but also to protect others, such as colleagues or friends - especially in the current corona pandemic.
Thorough hand hygiene involves more than just using the right washing lotion. At least lukewarm water should be used to clean hands. In addition to the palms and the spaces between the fingers, it is also advisable to soap and rinse the forearms if necessary . A thorough hand wash can take between 20 and 30 seconds. After washing, it is important to dry your hands carefully, preferably using a clean paper towel . Drying the skin mechanically removes any remaining germs through friction. Furthermore, germs can multiply comparatively faster on moist skin.
We have summarised what should generally be observed when washing your hands at in the accompanying diagram.
