It’s cold and flu season so we all should know by now that washing your hands helps prevent the spread of disease, but my Google reader brought up an article in the BBC titled Shame ‘boosts hand –washing rate’ that was really wild.
A London university used sensors to monitor reactions to hygiene messages displayed to people using service station toilets. I had to laugh at this. In my head, I had an image of Hal from 2001 a Space Odyssey scolding people who didn’t wash up properly after using the facilities or a flashing red light and siren going off when someone stepped out the door without washing his or her hands.
I wasn’t too far off. There weren’t any talking robots or sirens, but there were messages on LED signs near the entrance to the bathrooms with mottos like “Water doesn’t kill germs; soap does,” and “Don’t be a dirty soap dodger,” etc…
Around 250,000 people were studied using online sensors to compare use of the toilets and the soap dispensers. The results are kind of disturbing. There’s definitely a difference between the sexes. Only 32 percent of the men washed their hands after using the facilities, compared to 64 percent women. It kind of makes me want the siren or the robot.
The message that made the most impact with participants was the message stating, “Is the person next to you washing with soap?” This caused an increase of 11 percent in women and 12 percent in men. I guess a little peer pressure can be useful at times. According to the to the London School’s hygiene centre, washing your hands with soap could prevent nearly 1 million needless deaths a year from common preventable diseases.
Don’t make us break out the killer robots and sirens people.
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DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
But my students ARE washing their hands! I’m washing my hands! Why are so many children and teachers coming down with all kinds of colds, flus, infections, and other communicable diseases?
Are you sure everyone is washing his/her hands properly? Are you SURE? Because a few soapy swishes under the faucet just aren’t enough to get rid of very many germs.
A good way to show students - and teachers – and parents – just how many germs are left on their hands even after what they considered “a good soaping,’ is to conduct an experiment.
There are several good products that will demonstrate just how ineffective merely washing one’s hands can be if the process isn’t thorough; my personal favorite is Glitter Bug Lotion. (It’s inexpensive, easy to find online, and works like a dream.)
Squirt a little Glitter Bug Lotion on each child’s hands and tell the students to rub the lotion all over their hands, including the palms, backs of hands, and wrists. Send your students to the restroom to wash their hands. When they return, conduct class as usual.
Just before lunchtime, turn off the lights and turn on a blacklight. Your students – and YOU – will be astounded and horrified to see all the places in the classroom that are glowing. For the students who did not do a thorough job of handwashing, and wherever the Glitter Bug Lotion remained, it will rub off on everything that is touched. Pay particular attention to things that everyone in the room has to touch, such as doorknobs, shared supplies (scissors, pencils, etc.) and the drinking fountain button.
Hands must be washed carefully and thoroughly if all the germs are to be killed; if one washes hurriedly and carelessly, there will be as many, if not more, germs on the hands on exit as when that person walked into the bathroom. He/she will then transfer those germs to everything that is touched.
After shining the blacklight, and showing your students all the germs that remained even after they thought they’d done a good job cleaning their hands, send them back to wash again. Show them, with the blacklight, that even two washings will probably not get rid of all the germs. Emphasize to the children that germs live under their fingernails, too.
Try this experiment weekly, all winter long, and hope that each time the children’s hands will be cleaner!
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DISCLAIMER ALERT: The ideas expressed in this post came out of my own head, were researched by my own eyes and were expressed by my own hands. They are not intended to serve as medical advice in any way, shape or form. And they do not reflect the views of Humana Inc. or any of its subsidiaries. I take full responsibility if you think this post is awesome or not awesome.
