Help stop the spread of germs: handwashing and sanitizing

Wash Your Hands Often

Handwashing is the best way to prevent illness. However, it is important to wash your hands correctly:

1. Remove jewellery; wet hands and wrists with warm water.
2. Use one or two squirts of liquid or foam soap.
3. Lather soap and scrub hands, fingers, thumbs and wrists well.
4. Rinse thoroughly under running water.
5. Dry hands completely with a paper towel or hand dryer.
6. Turn off water and open bathroom door using the same paper towel.

Tips

• Wash hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Pay special attention to fingertips, between fingers, backs of hands and base of thumbs.
• Keep fingernails short.
• Remove watches, rings and bracelets.
• Wash wrists and forearms if they are likely to have been contaminated.
• Make sure that sleeves are rolled up and do not get wet during washing.

Hand Sanitizing

1. Place a drop of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your palm.
2. Rub your hands, fingers, fingertips and thumbs thoroughly.
3. Rub each wrist clasped in your opposite hand.
4. Rub hands until product is dry.

Tips

• Make sure your hands are dry before applying hand sanitizer.
• Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Keep fingernails short.
• Remove watches, rings and bracelets.
• Pay special attention to fingertips, between fingers, backs of hands and base of thumbs.
• Wash wrists and forearms if they are likely to have been contaminated.