Hand Washing is the best way to prevent the risk of coronavirus infection. Proper cleanliness and procedure for hand washing, is the most recommended precaution by the WHO.
The Science of Hand Washing Procedure
The importance of regular hand washing also needs to be supported comprehensively with science.
The Coronavirus pandemic out broke in the Hubei province, China. Since, Nov 2019, the pandemic has spread across the world. People exposed to the virus experience symptoms like fatigue, fever, respiratory problem, and dry cough.
COVID 19 has reported more than 1 million cases and 60000 deaths across the world. Most of the researchers suggest that old age people have more risk of coronavirus infection. The lower immunity exposes old age people to deadly coronavirus. WHO recommended how to boost immunity to ram up the battle against coronavirus.
The WHO and US CDC recommended procedure for hand washing, it is among the best ways to protect your family from the virus. CDC campaign Life is better with clean hands encourages handwashing. But there is a science behind hand washing and it nurtures its importance for a healthy lifestyle.
According to a review published a combined data showing how does proper hand hygiene reduce the employees’ illness in their workplace. The systematic review is a combined data of 11 studies.
Several other reviews have observed and found that teaching about how to wash the hands mitigates respiratory illness by 16 percent to 21 percent. Furthermore, it reduces gastrointestinal problems in children by 29 percent to 57 percent.
Still, the sources of COVID-19 and coronavirus vaccine is yet to be found. According to the scientist the deadly virus lives in saliva and mucus. It most likely spreads through the people coughing or sneezing.
As a result, the infected fluids may land either on a surface or another person. If a healthy person touches or comes in contact and touches their nose or face, he becomes infected.
The virus causing COVID-19 is come to be known as an ” enveloped virus”. It also means the virus survives due to its fatty coating. So while handwashing with soap, scrubbing removes the virus from your skin. The soap breaks up the fatty coating that covers the virus and disables it.
Most of the recommendations are also supporting the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers to wash hands. These are effective only in changing the chemical properties of the virus envelope and destroys the virus. So do wash your hands with soap and water and prevent the virus.
According to the data from the CDC about the science behind hand washing, here you need to do this:
• Data shows that water’s temperature does not affect microbe removal or in removing the germs. So using warm water would not be useful like cleaning hands with running water. So wash your hands with clean running water and soap. A study suggests that soaps with antibacterial ingredients do not contain added health benefits than plain soap.
• Lathering and scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds to lift disease-causing germs. Lather the backs of hands between fingers and under nails.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them. Wet hands get and transfer the virus so easily.
Yet, the global efforts, research, and development have not developed a coronavirus vaccine. The recommended procedure for washing hands is among the best way to avoid communicable diseases.