Did You Know Washing Your Hands Can Save Your Life?

Student and staff absenteeism can be reduced by 23% as a result of correct handwashing.

More than 11,000 cases of food poisoning are reported each day in Australia.

Washing your hands is the single most effective method of preventing the spread of germs.

To avoid recontamination of your hands after washing them, turn the tap off with a paper towel.

In the United States around 20,000 people die from infections each year, due primarily to a lack of infection control programs.

Hidden camera tests in public bathrooms across the United States show as few as 60% of people wash their hands before leaving the bathroom.

Those who do wash their hands often do not wash them properly.

The number of bacteria on the fingertips that can cause infection, approximately doubles after using the toilets.

Soap A Simple Lifesaver

London 17 July 2005: Washing Hands with soap can halve the number of young children suffering from pneumonia, the leading killer of youngsters under five worldwide. It can also greatly reduce cases of diarrhoea and impetigo, scientists said yesterday.

Although it may seem simple and logical, Centres For Disease Control researchers in Atlanta, Georgia, have shown that improved hygiene could save many lives.

"One of the things this research shows is that there are even more health benefits to the simple act of washing than we have previously appreciated," researcher Stephen Luby said.

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