Help Prevent the Flu - Celebrate the First-Ever Global Handwashing Day and Get Vaccinated!
October 14, 2008 – Wednesday, October 15, 2008 is the debut of Global Handwashing Day – an event that will bring the world together in learning about the importance of washing hands with soap to prevent serious illnesses such as the flu. An initiative of the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap – a coalition of international handwashing stakeholders – the Day’s vision is a local and global culture of handwashing with soap.
The Day’s goal is to transform handwashing with soap from an abstract good idea into an automatic behavior practiced around the globe. A highlight of the campaign is to get people to wash hands with soap at “critical moments,” such as after using the toilet or before handling food. Around the world, observed rates of handwashing with soap at critical moments currently range from zero to 34 percent.
The inaugural day will emphasize schools and children. More than 70 countries have agreed to take part in the event and participants will try to set a world record by having school children wash their hands with soap at the same time: before lunch.
The Global Handwashing Day website states that handwashing with soap is among the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrheal diseases and respiratory diseases, which together are responsible for the majority of child deaths. However, despite its lifesaving potential, handwashing with soap is seldom practiced in some countries and not always easy to promote. To address that, the United Nations has designated 2008 the International Year of Sanitation and the practice of handwashing with soap is at the top of the international hygiene agenda.
Turning this practice into a habit could save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention, cutting deaths from diarrhea by almost half and deaths from acute respiratory infections by one-quarter. In addition, studies have shown that handwashing with soap can reduce the incidence of skin diseases, eye infections and some intestinal worms. Soap adds to the time spent washing, breaks down the grease and dirt that carry most germs and leaves hands smelling pleasant. With proper use, all soaps are effective in removing germs that cause disease.
The Importance of Handwashing and Vaccines in Preventing the Flu
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has begun its annual seasonal flu prevention campaign. The CDC says that there are 3 steps that should be taken to fight the flu: 1) take time to get a flu vaccine; 2) take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them; and 3) take everyday preventive actions which includes washing hands often with soap and water.
Handwashing can be very effective in preventing respiratory diseases such as the flu. Nevertheless, the CDC stresses the importance of getting vaccinated. National Influenza Vaccination Week will be December 8-14, 2008, but flu vaccinations are already available throughout the country.
For the campaign, the CDC is making available: a CDC “I Got My Flu Vaccine. Have You?” badge for social networking sites; get vaccinated e-Cards; and a new flu video.
For additional information on CDC’s Annual Seasonal Flu Vaccination Campaign, please click here. To learn about ways to promote handwashing in schools, please visit the “It’s a SNAP” website. And to learn more about proper handwashing, click here.
Source: “Global Handwashing Day Planner’s Guide,” 2008; “Preventing Seasonal Flu: CDC Says “Take 3” Steps to Fight the Flu,” CDC website; and “CDC’s Annual Seasonal Flu Vaccination Campaign” email message, October 11, 2008.
