Protect Yourself with Proper Handwashing
Handwashing is the single most important action you can take to protect against illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When to Wash
Hands should always be washed after:
- Coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose
- Using the bathroom
- Changing a diaper
- Playing with pets
- Playing outside
And before:
- Eating
- Preparing food or drinks
The Best Way to Wash
In order to kill enough germs, hands must be lathered up and rubbed together under warm running water for at least 20 seconds. Use paper towel or your arm to turn off faucet.
If soap and water aren’t available, hands can be cleaned using an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
Four out of five people wash their hands. Funny educational campaign about that fifth person.
Handwashing Basics for Children
- Teach by example - wash your hands with them.
- Put handwashing reminders at children's eye level — draw picture with them and keep it by the sink.
- Make sure they are using lots of soap (liquid is best) and warm water.
- Every time they wash their hands, reward them until it is a habit.
- Keep a stool underneath the sink so that children can reach easily.
- Teach children to wash their hands for as long as it takes them to sing their ABCs, "Happy Birthday" twice, or "Row Your Boat" three times.
Wash My Hands Song
Children can sing while washing hands to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Singing it three times takes 20 seconds, the right amount of time to wash. Download this song in English or Spanish.
Wash, wash, wash my hands
Make them nice and clean
Rub the bottoms and the tops
And fingers in between
Song English/Spanish coloring sheet
Handwashing Resources
Columbus Public Health H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinic InformationDetails about who is being vaccinated and general information about CPH clinics.
Pandemic H1N1 InfluenzaH1N1 Influenza Columbus/Franklin County Update -- what you need to know about H1N1.
Protect Yourself with HandwashingHandwashing is the single most important action you can take to protect against illness, from the common cold to swine flu virus.