Combatting germs 101: Hand washing, the first line of defense

With all the advances in medicine, including sanitation, immunizations, high tech treatments, improvements in nutrition and vitamin supplementation, hand washing is still one of the best ways to prevent you and your family from becoming sick. Our skin is a wonderfully protective organ, but contaminated skin of the hands, can introduce infectious agents to other less protected areas such as the mouth and eyes. Taking measures to prevent contamination, such as social distancing, will minimize risk of infections. However, there will always be the risk of encountering germs that cause infection even with limited exposure. Hand washing is critical for the prevention of common infections in our community both minor and serious, including the current risk of with Covid-19.

The CDC recommends frequent hand washing, especially during key times when you are more likely to encounter infectious pathogens. You should wash before during and after preparing food, eating food, and cleaning up from meals including after touching garbage, touching animals, handling pet food and treats, and cleaning up pet waste. Additionally, always make sure you wash after using the restroom, blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, changing diapers, tending to wounds, and before and after caring for someone who is sick.

Washing hands is the most effective infection prevention technique in most situations, but if soap and water are not available, hand sanitizers containing 60% alcohol is effective for preventing spread of infection. Proper use of hand sanitizer involves placing gel in the palm of one hand and then rubbing the hands together until the gel has been applied to all surfaces and hands become dry. This process typically takes approximately 20 seconds. Hand sanitizers are effective for killing germs that are on your hands. However, it does not remove dirt or other contaminants from your skin. Given a choice, effective hand washing may be a better option. Hand sanitizers are portable and convenient for frequent use throughout the day when a sink and soap may not be available.

The CDC tells us that washing hands effectively takes five easy steps. First, rinse hands with water and apply soap. Second, lather the soap onto all surfaces of the hands, between the fingers and under the nails. Third, scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds, which is approximately the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. Fourth, rinse the hands with water. And fifth, dry them on clean towel or by air. You may want to use a paper towel to open the bathroom door of a public bathroom after washing to prevent contamination of your clean hands.

The science supporting hand washing is clear. Although we do not yet know specifics about the Covid-19 virus, we assume that hand washing would have similar impact with preventing transmission of this virus as with other respiratory infections. Hand washing is known to reduce respiratory illness by up to 21%. Diarrhea is reduced by up to 40% and up to 58% in people with weakened immune systems. Studies indicate that hand washing prevents missed school by children due to gastrointestinal illness by 57%. Unfortunately, the global estimate of hand washing is only 19%, meaning most people are not washing their hands most of the time.

Our world is filled with germs that cause infection, some minor and some more serious. These invisible pathogens are common, and fortunately, our immune systems fight them off effectively most of the time. But some of these infections can be very inconvenient and serious. Hand washing can reduce the opportunity for these germs to cause infection and reduce the spread of infections to others. For more information on hand washing, please visit the CDC web page

Dr. Paul Forman is a board-certified family medicine physician at Solstice Family Care in Wasilla. Dr. Forman provides full-spectrum family medicine for patients of all ages—from pediatrics to geriatrics, including palliative and end-of-life care. He believes in the importance of continuity of care where patients enjoy the benefits of seeing familiar providers. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Forman, call Solstice Family Care at 352-1300. For information, visit www.SolsticeFamilyCare.com.