Handwashing
Washing your hands with water and soap is an effective way to prevent and control illness from spreading. Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
Always wash your hands when:
- You come indoors from outside.
- You start preparing meals or eating.
- You sneeze, cough, or blow your nose.
- You touch surfaces an infected person has touched.
- You use the toilet.
How to wash your hands:
- Wet your hands under warm running water.
- Apply enough soap to cover your hands and rub them vigorously together.
- Rub the back of your hands, clean in between your fingers, and rub your thumbs.
- Put your palms together, interlock your fingers, and rub them together.
- Rinse your hands with running water.
- Dry your hands thoroughly on a disposable towel.
- Turn off the tap with the towel.
At home, remember to change and wash all hand towels regularly. If someone in your household is ill, each household member should have a towel that only they use. While illness continues, change and wash towels every day.
Don’t spread microbes and bacteria! Cover your mouth with a tissue or your upper sleeve – never your hand – if you cough or sneeze.