When they say to wash your hands ...

[Bill in Oregon]

Doc and Piller will know this, but for the rest of us civilians, here is the way to really wash your hands. I was surprised how much contamination can remain on the back of the hands.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/health-5163 ... 3qhl_j6rTI

[gamekeeper]

Shirley went on a food handling course and was the only one there that washed her hands correctly, she told the examiner that her boyfriend ( yours truly ) had worked in environmental health departments for 30 years so couldn't get away with anything less...

[piller]

Years ago I worked in a hospital. The Pharmacist in charge of the IV room got some test kits. We had to wash our hands and then place our hands on this gel. Palms and backs of the hands. They were placed in an incubator for a week. Our names were on them. After a week, we saw the results. One student, Ed, failed. He was not pleased, but his handprints clearly grew Staph. The Pharmacist in charge of the IV room, Tony, had been after Ed to wash longer. A quick soap and rinse is not really enough. We were taught to sing Happy Birthday to ourselves while soaping. That gave a minimum length of time for proper hygiene.

[Blaine]

I've had tickets a couple months for an Arturo Sandoval live show in a small, crowded Seattle venue Yes, I'm taking my bottle of GermX with me

[2ndovc]

I'm continually amazed by people that don't wash their hands. My mom was always on us as kids and it's stuck with me all these years. Say your ABCs and don't forget your thumbs!

jb

[AJMD429]

There are some studies that show how much you wash your hands should be proportional to what you were exposed to. For instance, if the only contact with a patient is with gloves on, a quick plain-water rinse will remove glove-powder, which is all you will have on you. Briefly touching a healthy person's back while examining a skin cancer doesn't require much more, either. A more thorough physical, or examination of a rash, lymph nodes, etc., should result in a soap or alcohol (sanitizer) wash. The reason some say NOT to use soap/sanitizer all the time is that it takes the natural oils from your skin, kills your native bacteria, increases cracking of the skin, providing more places for pathogens, and can make matters WORSE.

Like many things - it is a continuum and balance.

[DocRock]

Texas public health message was very, very clear.

"Wash your hands like you just cut up some jalapenos and habaneros and now have to take out your contact lenses. "

[mikld]

Years ago I worked in a hospital. The Pharmacist in charge of the IV room got some test kits. We had to wash our hands and then place our hands on this gel. Palms and backs of the hands. They were placed in an incubator for a week. Our names were on them. After a week, we saw the results. One student, Ed, failed. He was not pleased, but his handprints clearly grew Staph. The Pharmacist in charge of the IV room, Tony, had been after Ed to wash longer. A quick soap and rinse is not really enough. We were taught to sing Happy Birthday to ourselves while soaping. That gave a minimum length of time for proper hygiene.

What did you do while your hands were in the germ gel for a week?

[marlinman93]

Can't begin to recall how often I've been to a gun show or event and seen guys finish their business and walk right out the door without washing. Then you see them inside and they stick their hand out to shake yours! I have no problem declining, and telling them flat out I watched them take a leak and leave without washing. That usually embarrasses them and maybe they'll think about washing next time?

[piller]

Years ago I worked in a hospital. The Pharmacist in charge of the IV room got some test kits. We had to wash our hands and then place our hands on this gel. Palms and backs of the hands. They were placed in an incubator for a week. Our names were on them. After a week, we saw the results. One student, Ed, failed. He was not pleased, but his handprints clearly grew Staph. The Pharmacist in charge of the IV room, Tony, had been after Ed to wash longer. A quick soap and rinse is not really enough. We were taught to sing Happy Birthday to ourselves while soaping. That gave a minimum length of time for proper hygiene.

What did you do while your hands were in the germ gel for a week?

We had a lot of fun getting someone else to do things for us.

[Rusty]

My wife has been in health care since she was 19. She bandaged Noah's thumb while he was building the ark. The were teaching the wash while singing happy birthday thing way back then. And that means WASH while singing. When you get done singing, then you can rinse not before.

[Griff]

Texas public health message was very, very clear.
"Wash your hands like you just cut up some jalapenos and habaneros and now have to take out your contact lenses. "

Aye Gawd, that's a sight I don't want to see!

[piller]

My wife has been in health care since she was 19. She bandaged Noah's thumb while he was building the ark. The were teaching the wash while singing happy birthday thing way back then. And that means WASH while singing. When you get done singing, then you can rinse not before.

That has been around for such a long time because it works.

[Griff]

What's actually surprising is that we're not sick more often than we are!

[Larkbill]

What's actually surprising is that we're not sick more often than we are!

I think us kids who grew up out doors with no sinks or soap have more resistance. I once saw my youngest brother call 5 second rule on a yogurt raisin he dropped in a duck blind. Our hunting buddy almost lost it.

My 5 year old grandaughter will stop me when I come out of the bathroom. "Did you wash your hands?" "Yep" "WITH SOAP?" "yes mam". Then gives me "the look". Some boy out there has no idea what's in store for him.

[piller]

Stomach acid kills a lot of stuff. I have rinsed my hands in the lake and dried them on my jeans before eating when out fishing. Fixing medications for someone who is already sick is an entirely different matter.

[AJMD429]

Stomach acid kills a lot of stuff. I have rinsed my hands in the lake and dried them on my jeans before eating when out fishing. Fixing medications for someone who is already sick is an entirely different matter.

Yeah - one reason the Proton Pump Inhibitors (Nexium, etc) are not always a thing you want to take continuously....

Can't begin to recall how often I've been to a gun show or event and seen guys finish their business and walk right out the door without washing. Then you see them inside and they stick their hand out to shake yours! I have no problem declining, and telling them flat out I watched them take a leak and leave without washing. That usually embarrasses them and maybe they'll think about washing next time?

Yeah - my wife saw a person in a 'health food store' use the 'stall', complete with noises indicating both 'numbers' happening, then go to the clipboard near the bathroom exit (without washing hands) and grab the pen-on-a-string, sign off "I washed my hands", then return to work.....AT THE ORGANIC PRODUCE DEPARTMENT.....

[Bill in Oregon]

Doc, that's one of those things I didn't want to read!