Call (805) 338-7727 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Call (805) 338-7727 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

The Surprising Importance of Hand Washing

Posted by Elana Foxx, December 5, 2018

The first week in December is dedicated as National Handwashing Awareness week. While it might seem a bit funny to dedicate an awareness week to such a common, everyday practice, the importance of washing your hands regularly really cannot be understated. With cold and flu season upon us, it’s one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself.

How Germs are Spread.

We know that viruses and bacteria are what make us sick, but how do they get into our bodies? One of the primary modes of germ “transportation” is also the most simple: Sick people sneeze, cough, blow their noses, and so on. With germs now transferred to their hands, they touch surfaces like door knobs, light switches, handrails, counter tops, money, shopping cart handles, gas pump handles, and so on.

Then, you touch those surfaces and pick up the virus or bacteria. From there, the germs are introduced into your body when you touch your nose, mouth, or eyes, or when you eat. You might be surprised at how often most people touch their faces, because it’s a common and unconscious reflex.

The same mode of transportation can occur when we handle raw meat and forget to wash our hands, or after using the bathroom. In fact, many food-borne illnesses are not contracted from actually eating the infected foods, but from touching things that were previously handled by those in charge of food preparation.

As we all know, young children are the worst about touching everything in sight, or even putting objects in their mouths! If you have grandchildren or are frequently around kids, regular hand washing becomes even more important.

How Effective is Hand Washing?

According to the CDC, regular hand washing can reduce diarrhea-type illnesses by about 30 percent, and the common cold by about 20 percent. Other methods of illness prevention, such as a healthy diet, are also important. However, regular hand washing remains the easiest and most effective preventative for common illnesses.

Another thing to remember is that even if you’re a dedicated hand washer, other people might not practice the same level of hygiene. So, be extra cautious this winter, when venturing out into public spaces. Take a moment to wipe down shopping cart handles, avoid touching door handles with your bare hands, and be mindful of how often you touch your face.

Finally, if you do experience symptoms of a cold or flu, don’t hesitate to visit your doctor. Early treatment of many common illnesses can shorten their duration, and keep you more comfortable in the meantime.

Need more information on your insurance options?

Contact us online to learn more

Contact Us

Close Accessibility Tools
Accessibility Controls Reset
Content Adjustments
Font Size

Default

Line Height

Default

Content Scaling

Default

Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Highlight Forms
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Focus Mode
Color Adjustments
Desaturate
Monochrome
Contrast

Default

Saturation

Default

Accessibility Statement

Despite our attempts to make this website accessible for everyone, there may still be some pages or sections that are not completely accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or do not have a suitable technological solution to make them accessible. Nevertheless, we are always striving to enhance our accessibility by adding, updating, improving its options and features, and incorporating new technologies.

We want to provide our users with the best experience possible, so we strive to support as many browsers and assistive technologies as possible.

If you wish to contact this website's owner, please use the contact form on the website.

Our User Interface Adjustment Options

Font adjustments - With this tool, users can modify font size, style, letter spacing, and line height for improved alignment and readability.

Color adjustments - Users can customize their color contrast profiles to light, dark, desaturated, and monochrome.

Content highlighting - Users can prioritize key elements such as links, forms, and titles.

Content focus - Users can enable focus mode to highlight the current page information based on their mouse movement.

Close