Handwashing - You’ve Been Washing Your Hands Wrong (article in New York Times)

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Handwashing

You’ve Been Washing Your Hands Wrong

Sanitation Updates, published by Cor Dietvorst, in its issue of 8 Nov, carries the title: “You’ve Been Washing Your Hands Wrong.” I don’t know about others, but I’m certainly doing it wrong :)

Referring to the NY Times post, www.nytimes.com/2016/04/21/health/washing-hands.html
The CDC’s way of handwashing is given. It goes like this:


Step One: Apply the sanitizer to one palm.
Step Two: Rub both palms together.
Step Three: Rub product over your hands until dry.

The post says: “The C.D.C. method takes 35 seconds on average to complete; the alternative, 42.5 seconds.”

According to the post, this is the WHO way:

Step One: Rub palms together.
Step Two: Rub each palm front to back over the back of the other hand, interlacing fingers.
Step Three: Twist palms with fingers interlaced, and rub between fingers.
Step Four: Interlock your fingers, (thumbs should be on opposite sides), and twist again, this time, backs of fingers against palms.
Step Five: Clasp your left thumb in your right hand and move thumb in circular motion — then switch thumbs.
Step Six: (Still with us?) Press your right fingers together and rub them in a circular motion on your left palm, then switch. You’re done!

There is also a video link, given in the post. The WHO method is given at (in diagram form): www.who.int/gpsc/clean_hands_protection/en/

I have noticed here that even if the hands are washed properly, dirty towels are used to dry them off.
This leads to: "back to square one." It is just like have safe drinking water in a container, and leaving the container uncovered.

F H Mughal
F H Mughal (Mr.)
Karachi, Pakistan

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