Education around good hygiene through handwashing with soap has never been more vital with the world navigating their way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 15 was Global Handwashing Day, a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding the importance of handwashing with soap as the most effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
The 2020 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Hand Hygiene for All.” This year’s theme follows the recent global initiative calling on all of society to scale up hand hygiene, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SPARK scholars have taken it upon themselves to educate their peers and communities by demonstrating the crucial habits of good hand hygiene.
Five easy steps to good handwashing:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Co-founder and CEO of SPARK Schools Stacey Brewer said, “the role of handwashing has been accentuated as one of the crucial defences against the Coronavirus. This has been a stark reminder to our scholars and the rest of the community that one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of a virus is also one of the simplest: hand hygiene, especially through handwashing with soap”.
“To beat the virus today and ensure better health outcomes beyond the pandemic, handwashing with soap must be continue to be a priority,” concludes Brewer.
Watch these videos of SPARK scholars sharing their views on why handwashing is important and the correct way to do it.
