So you should wash your hands to properly eliminate all bacteria

You may not realize it, but the simple fact of washing your hands well does for your health much more than you think. These limbs are still the way of contact with other people and objects full of germs. That is why a good soap and water rinse will rid you of countless diseases that you would never want to have.

The World Health Organization estimates that this custom Eliminates up to 80% of the microbes present on the surface of the skin. This cleaning routine reduces up to 50% cases of intestinal or diarrheal diseases, and in another 25% respiratory infections. Thus, we can prevent conditions that in the past could lead to death to its carriers, such as influenza, pneumonia, cholera and even hepatitis A.

The health authorities have reminded that the hands must remain "minimum 20 seconds" underwater for cleaning to be effective

If you come into contact with surfaces contaminated by viruses and bacteria, it is necessary that before eating you put your hands under the tap and get ready to rinse your soap thoroughly. And more at this time of year, in which there are so many flu and epidemics (coronavirus). Similarly, in order to prevent possible infections and not have a source of clean water, the best thing you can do is avoid touching your nose, mouth, eyes, especially If you go by public transport and the environment is charged.

The WHO and the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently issued a statement that recalls this hygiene measure following the expansion of China's coronavirus to various parts of the world. The health authorities have remembered that the hands must remain "minimum 20 seconds "underwater so that the preventive action of all contagion is really effective.

According to the CDC, you should wash your hands with a good amount of soap and water for at least 20 seconds, "especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing." But not only that, but it also encourages people to do it "before, during and after preparing food, eating, caring for someone who is sick, when healing a wound, after changing diapers or touching an animal, when collecting pet depositions and, above all, after touching, transporting or handling garbage waste, "in statements collected by 'The Independent'.

Wet, lather, rub, rinse and dry. These are the five steps that the CDC recommends. First, moisten your hands with clean, running water. Then, fill them with soap and then start rubbing. It is important to run the soap through the fingers, the back of the hands and the surface under the nails. That is when you have to hold the water rinse for 20 seconds. According to the organization, a very simple trick to stay the necessary time is to sing the 'Happy Birthday' twice. It would only dry.

And if there is no tap?

If you do not have running water available you can use a hand sanitizer that contains At least 60% alcohol. You can also use single-use wipes. In the market, there are the typical ones that apply to babies or pets, but they are also the classic ones with the smell of lemon that are used in some restaurants.

Whether you are traveling or not, what you should always do is not neglect this basic hygiene behavior to prevent disease

Washing your hands is more important than you think, especially if you are going to be in contact with other people in a closed place. An example is air travel, in which the cabin is reduced for so many people. In this case, you should keep in mind that you should always do it before and after entering the aircraft, as a study by the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center revealed that the water that comes out of the tap is very unhealthy.

The research involved 23 US airlines that operate regionally and nationally. In this way, it was found that only three of all companies had a relatively clean liquid. "The quality of drinking water in aircraft depends on a number of factors, for example, transfer equipment or system maintenance," explained a spokesman for the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), to the travel specialist magazine 'AFAR'. Therefore, whether you are traveling or not, what you should always do is stand firm in this basic hygiene behavior to prevent disease.