Today’s World Hand Hygiene Day serves as a reminder that although COVID-19 is less on our minds than it was a year ago, the risks associated from spreading infections has not gone away. The campaign message this year from WHO is clear: “Unite for safety: clean your hands”. It’s important that healthcare workers at all levels and responsibilities understand the impact good hand hygiene has and are informed to make sure they adhere to best practice.
WHO have identified 5 key moments where good hand hygiene intervenes with infection transmission:
- Before touching a patient
- Before a clean or aseptic procedure
- After body fluid exposure
- After touching a patient
- After touching patient surroundings
The process of washing your hands should take no longer than 60 seconds but those 60 seconds could ultimately save someone’s life, especially if you adapt to washing your hands frequently at those key moments.
The pandemic has educated everyone about the bacteria around us, particularly that on our hands as a result of sneezing, coughing, proximity to other people, and contact with surfaces. The fact is that the spread of diseases and infections by our hands is nothing new and will continue to be in the future. Be aware of the correct hand washing technique for effective hand hygiene and implement whenever possible. Just because the pandemic is over, it doesn’t mean we’re in the clear – you continue to wear a seatbelt to protect yourself and others from vehicle incidents, and hand washing should be viewed in the same way.
Practicing good hand hygiene is just one of the important infection prevention and control activities, but there is no silver bullet.
Inivos work with over 50% of the UK’s NHS Trusts as well as healthcare providers globally. Our automated decontamination technologies and round-the-clock decontamination services are trusted around the world, working to reduce the risk of infection. As part of our ongoing commitment to deliver better healthcare, faster, we’re developing our own range of surface and hand wipes.
