Many healthcare workers know that washing hands is important to prevent the spread of infectious disease. During a study conducted by Nicas and Best at Berkley University, they counted the number of times people touched their face with their hands. Whether we are aware of our actions or not, most of us can agree that we touch our face with our hands frequently enough.
Imagine that you are able to record a full day of your actions. Better yet, reflect on what you did when you woke up yesterday morning. Let me give you an idea of my previous morning. I was woken by the alarm clock at 6 am.Then I checked my phone for messages, turned on the TV for my morning news, started making my coffee and finally hit the shower. It wasn't even 5 minutes from the time I awoke and I already touched different objects. The point of this is to be aware that even in our homes we are exposed to germs in places we don't realize.
Luckily, the human body has amazing defense against harmful germs. Our white blood cells are like soldiers coming to the rescue. Unfortunately, there are a lot of areas on our face that do not have the protection of skin such as the eyes and mouth. There's a reason to every wise proverb and our parents annoying us to wash our hands before dinner is not for nothing.
If you have children, it is even more important to set the example because children often learn from adults. Let's start a good habit of washing hands. As for your friends, don't be shy about checking to make sure their hands are clean. Asking someone if they have washed their hands is caring. Checking to see if someone has washed their hands will benefit not only that person but also you and your family.
A. Our skin is the first line of defense.
B. Several minutes later, I turned off the alarm clock.
C. It is easy for us to admit that we wash our hands regularly.
D. They are more self-aware that hand washing should be practiced as needed.
E. Most importantly, it is our duty to set the right example for friends and family.
F. They found that the subjects touched their face 15.7 times per hour on average.
G. Do the rest of your family members, especially children, wash their hands regularly?
