4 in 5 infectious diseases “are spread by hands” says report
Children of all ages in the UK are now back at school – as winter begins to really take hold for the first time, along with the increase in coughs and colds that always rapidly increase at this time of year. There is however some very good news for teachers, parents and children, according to a recent article on The Mirror website.
The report by Charlie Duffield focuses on several steps that can be taken to help significantly reduce the spread of illnesses such as norovirus, flu and chickenpox. Advice from health officials, he writes, includes the importance of knowing when to keep youngsters away from school when they are ill – and, perhaps most significantly, “teaching good hygiene habits.”
The report begins by referring to a previous interview with the CEO of INEOS Hygienics, when Fran Millar identified the danger of “hand washing fatigue” – and why overcoming it can be so beneficial.
“…it’s worth remembering that just 30 seconds of it regularly can help mitigate feeling under the weather for weeks.”
The importance of hand washing
Regular hand washing, undertaken at the right times (before eating, after toilet use and when hands are visibly dirty, amongst others) is so beneficial states the report because “four in five infectious diseases, such as stomach bugs, are spread by hands.”
Bearing this in mind demonstrates why it’s so important that children should be taught how and when to undertake this most important of activities effectively.
“Teaching regular hand-washing is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of viruses, the experts say, because they can live on our hands. You should use warm water and soap for twenty seconds, or hand sanitiser, to clean hands frequently.”
The article also touches on the fact that kids should not attend school when they are unwell, saying that although it’s “fine” to send them with normal colds and minor coughs, they should be kept at home if they have a fever or high temperature.
“A child with vomiting or diarrhoea should wait 48 hours before heading back to school, to stop the spread of stomach bugs.”
Young children learning to wash their hands with a KiddiWash mobile sink
And here are some useful free resources of our own!
- An A4 how to wash your hands poster »
- A series of A4 posters depicting the five stages of hand washing to be displayed on the classroom wall »
…and a “how to wash your hands” video.
Find more free Early Years handwashing themed resources here »
Teach children effective hand washing techniques with mobile sinks that can go anywhere – indoors or out
The Kiddiwash range of warm water hand wash units are perfect for smaller hands – and are ideal where a portable solution is required.
Whether you require a larger wheeled unit such as the KiddiSynk, or the ultra portable Kiddiwash Xtra, you can ensure that all children in your care are able to wash their hands whether inside or out.
