Sickness and Disease at your fingertips

In 1847, a Hungarian obstetrician by the name of Ignaz P. Semmelweiss showed that hand washing greatly reduced infections in newborns. Dr. Semmelweiss attempted to promote hand washing and cleanliness among his colleagues, who were so offended that they committed him to an insane asylum.

That was 150 years ago and times have changed. Semmelweiss’s claims have been proven true many times over, and it is now a well-known fact that indeed, hand washing greatly reduces the spread of disease. The importance of hand washing is preached to school children everywhere and 95% of people claim to practice proper hand hygiene.

Yet studies show that only 67% of people practice any sort of hand hygiene. Researchers believe that this number is low because while most people have a vague idea that hand washing is important, many don’t have a grasp on the facts. We’ve put together a list of some of the most interesting (and shocking!) facts about hand washing so you can see why practicing proper hand hygiene is so vitally important.

80% of communicable diseases are transferred by touch😊

The most critical times for hand washing are before preparing food and after going to the bathroom.

The recommended washing time is 15 seconds. The ideal washing time is 30 seconds. Most bacteria on our hands is on the fingertips and under the nails

Damp hands are 1,000x more likely to spread bacteria than dry hands

Hand washing and hand hygiene initiatives greatly reduce the number of absences, sick leaves, and lost productivity