Clean Your Hands Day is front and center at Brant Community Healthcare System

When the pandemic began, people across Canada were banging on pans and honking horns to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of health care workers in the fight against COVID-19.

Now, it is more important than ever for every one of us to follow safety guidelines to help stop the spread. We are grateful to those who continue to make a difference by following public health measures including cleaning their hands, wearing masks and keeping a safe distance from others.

On Wednesday, May 5, Clean Your Hands Day recognizes collective efforts to stay safe and encourages everyone to keep up the good work by continuing to follow health safety guidelines.

Nancy Peddle is the BCHS manager of infection prevention and control. She points out, keeping your hands clean is the first line of defence against viruses and disease.

“Cleaning our hands is easy and should be part of our daily routines,” said Peddle. “Much like wearing a seat belt for motor safety, cleaning our hands keeps us safe and helps stop the spread of infection.”

No matter who you are or where you work, maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene are important personal practices essential to reduce the risk of becoming infected or spreading infection to others.

Public health measures and cleaning our hands are making a difference, and by continuing to follow health safety recommendations, we will continue to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.

“So many things are beyond our control these days, but we do have control over choosing to clean our hands regularly,” said Dr. Tom Szakacs, lead physician for infection control at BCHS. “Hand hygiene is an easy way to protect ourselves and others.”

Here are a few simple steps everyone should take:

• Clean your hands often with soap and warm water or hand sanitizer

• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve, not your hand

• Put used tissues into a lined waste basket as soon as possible and clean your hands immediately afterward

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands

• Before putting on and after removing a mask, clean your hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer

On Clean Your Hands Day and every day, join BCHS as we celebrate those who continue to make a difference by following health safety strategies and local public health guidance. Find out more at www.handhygiene.ca.