Bi And Large

This is a Public Service Announcement.

To all my coworkers, friends, family, whoever I come in contact with during the day (and all the people I don't, for that matter.)

WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS.

Seriously. And wash them properly. I am no longer going to sit by and pretend like I didn't notice that you just turned the water on and then turned it off again 0.5 seconds later after you used the bathroom. I can hear you, you know. Getting your dirty and germ covered hands slightly wet does not, in fact, clean nor disinfect them. Then I have to go through the rest of the day being totally squicked out by the thought of your hands touching me or my work space or living space or anything else I might touch, which makes me sound like a completely OCD germphobe.... but I mean this in particular instances, when I'm looking right at YOUR specific hands that I know you just now did not wash and wanting to ralph if you come near me or touch my pen or my shirt or God help us my food.

So let's talk about washing hands, shall we?

Basic idea of washing hands: It requires soap. Yes, that's right, soap. Wonderful new invention. It actually lathers up the water and bonds with oils in the dirt and on your skin, lettng the water pull them away and cleaning your skin. Use it. Water alone does not clean your skin. It rinses it. Small amounts of dirt, oil, fecal matter, and plenty of germs, all stay right there and then get smeared around on anything you touch. Nice.

So how is it done properly? The 'official' word on that seems to be the same as it was when I worked in childcare and had health inspectors watching me wash my hands every few weeks. Here, I will provide a helpful series of images for you to follow along with as we go, making it easier for you to remember. This is how you actually clean shit off your hands:

1. wet your hands, preferably with warm water. But wait - you don't stop after step one!! There's MORE!

2. apply soap

3. scrub and lather for at LEAST 20 full seconds, away from the water, making sure to get under fingernails, between fingers, backs of hands and up to wrists.

4. rinse with clean water for 10 seconds, letting water drain down and away into the sink

5. dry with a clean towel and preferably use the towel to turn off the tap.

 

See? And it only takes 30 seconds to have hands that will actually not pass horrible diseases around and can actually be free of human waste!

 

WHY should you go to all those 30 seconds of bother, if you are the type of person who isn't in the least bit distressed by the thought of that stuff hanging around on your hands? There's a good link at the WI dhs that includes this snippet:

"Diseases spread through fecal-oral transmission. Infections which may be transmitted through this route include salmonellosis, shigellosis, hepatitis A, giardiasis, enterovirus, amebiasis, and campylobacteriosis. Because these diseases are spread through the ingestion of even the tiniest particles of fecal material, hand washing after using the toilet cannot be over-emphasized.

Diseases spread through indirect contact with respiratory secretions. Microorganisms which may be transmitted through this route include influenza, Streptococcus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the common cold. Because these diseases may be spread indirectly by hands contaminated by respiratory discharges of infected people, illness may be avoided by washing hands after coughing or sneezing and after shaking hands with an individual who has been coughing and sneezing.

Diseases may also be spread when hands are contaminated with urine, saliva or other moist body substances. Microorganisms which may be transmitted by one or more of these body substances include cytomegalovirus, typhoid, staphylococcal organisms, and Epstein-barr virus. These germs may be transmitted from person to person or indirectly by contamination of food or inanimate objects such as toys. "

Please, people. I'm hanging out with you, living with you, working with you. When you don't wash your hands, I KNOW. And it's gross. Save us all a sick day and save me from being repulsed by you when I might otherwise think you're a pretty decent human being. Hygeine. It's not just for OCD patients any more.