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Put your hands together for Global Handwashing Day

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15/10/2009


UNICEF has declared Thursday, the 15th October as Global Handwashing Day 

UNICEF has declared Thursday, the 15th October as Global Handwashing Day. The
main objectives are to raise awareness about the importance of handwashing and
support it globally. Proper handwashing can save lives. 

Handwashing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent
diarrheal and acute respiratory infections. Together these are responsible for
the majority of all child deaths. 

Proper handwashing benefits us all since we receive harmful bacteria on our
hands daily from contact with people, surfaces, food and animals. Washing our
hands is a simple task to perform to avoid, for example, the common cold and
influenza. Katrin promotes proper hand washing year around in schools, offices,
workplaces and health care facilities. 

Good handwashing includes rubbing hands with regular soap and washing them
using warm water. When drying hands, disposable paper towels are by far the
best choice*. After using hot air dryers, the amount of bacteria in the hands
may even increase. Cloth towels decrease bacteria, but hygiene is still a
problem. Disposable paper towels cut the bacteria down to almost 50%; a
contributing factor as to why only disposable towels are accepted for use in
the food industry. 
Handwashing and hygiene are worth celebrating, and everyone can join in.
Useful tools and resources to make Global Handwashing Day a success in your own
country, city, community, company and school can be found at: www.katrin.com
and www.globalhandwashingday.org 
Happy handwashing - Katrin. At Hand.

* Source: Technical Research Centre of Finland, VTT BEL 245/03

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