Why is this important?
Proper and frequent hand washing with plain soap and warm water removes most germs and is an essential component of infection prevention and control. Washing your hands reduces the spread of COVID-19. Hand washing may also reduce children’s ingestion of chemical contaminants via hand-to-mouth activity.
What actions can we take?
- Practice proper hand hygiene.
- Help children get into the habit of washing their hands frequently and properly.
- Do not use antibacterial hand soap.
- Many antibacterial soaps contain triclosan which, when washed down the drain, can pose a risk to plants and fish.
- If soap and water are not available, hands may be cleaned with a fragrance-free pre-moistened towelette followed by hand sanitizer.
- Always supervise children when they use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- When not in use, hand sanitizers should be kept in a secure location out of reach and sight of children away from food and beverages.