OVIEDO, Fla. – For many of us, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, but it is also a time of increased risk of infectious illnesses. HCA Florida Healthcare hospitals are doing their part to keep families healthy by partnering with local schools to teach good hand hygiene during National Handwashing Awareness Week December 5-11.
“Good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to stay healthy year-round,” said Tiffany Richens, infection prevention director at Oviedo Medical Center, an HCA Florida Healthcare hospital. “It may seem simple to some, but knowing the proper way to wash your hands and practicing consistent hand washing, especially after going to the bathroom, before and after caring for someone who is sick or injured and before and after handling food, can significantly reduce the spread of infection.“
During the winter months, the prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID, flu and the common cold increase. Factor in holiday travel and large gatherings, and the risk of catching an infectious disease is high. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, handwashing can prevent about 20% of respiratory infection and 30% of diarrhea-related sicknesses.
The Healthy Hands program is a 30-minute lesson that teaches elementary students how to wash their hands with a visual, hands-on demonstration. HCA Florida Healthcare colleagues volunteered to support schools in Seminole County that needed a helping hand with kindergarten and first grade students. Students especially enjoy the “Glitter Bug” demonstration using glow-in-the-dark lotion to simulate germs under a black light before and after they wash their hands. Teaching tools for the program were developed by the UF/IFAS Extension at the University of Florida.
The project was piloted by HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital during Volunteer Month in April at Bentley Elementary School, teaching 400 students handwashing techniques. Now colleagues from Oviedo Medical Center are bringing the program to Carillon Elementary School during this year’s National Handwashing Awareness Week to help prevent the spread of illnesses in school, reduce absenteeism and improve student performance.
Richens said you can protect your whole family by helping your kids practice handwashing skills and making it part of their daily routine.
“Set an example for others by consistently washing your hands at key times,” said Richens. “Teach your kids the steps and give them frequent reminders of how and when to wash hands. If you start when they are young, handwashing can become a lifelong healthy habit.”
The CDC’s Life Is Better With Clean Hands campaign encourages everyone to make consistent handwashing part of their daily lives. The CDC recommends following these five steps for clean hands and a healthy holiday season:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
If soap and water aren’t available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol to help prevent the spread of illness.
Provided by HCA Florida
