October 15th was Global Handwashing Day!
This year’s theme, created by Global Handwashing Partnership, was “Why are clean hands still important?” Handwashing with soap and water is one of the simplest, most effective ways to stop the spread of germs and stay healthy. Clean hands remain a fundamental defense against the spread of infections, illnesses, and harmful germs. Whether in hospitals, schools, or in everyday interactions, practicing handwashing with soap contributes to better health outcomes and a safer world for everyone.
Why are clean hands still important to you?
While significant progress in hand hygiene awareness has been made, maintaining and improving hand hygiene behaviors remains crucial beyond public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Clean hands remain a fundamental defense against the spread of infections, illnesses, and harmful germs. Whether in hospitals, schools, or in everyday interactions, practicing handwashing with soap contributes to better health outcomes and a safer world for everyone.
The benefits of clean hands
Hand hygiene, whether through handwashing with soap or alcohol-based handrub, can help reduce the transmission of a range of diseases:
- Handwashing with soap can reduce diarrheal diseases by 30%.
- Handwashing with soap can reduce acute respiratory infections by up to 20%.
- Handwashing with soap plays an important role in reducing the transmission of outbreak-related pathogens such as cholera, Ebola, shigellosis, SARS, hepatitis E, COVID-19, and monkeypox.
- Hand hygiene is protective against healthcare-associated infections and contributes to reducing the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Proper hand hygiene has also been linked to benefits beyond disease reduction, such as reduced rates of school absenteeism and improvements in wellbeing, dignity, and productivity.