Influenza: What you need to know about the contagious respiratory disease
Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. Here’s how common viruses become deadly.
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As flu season approaches, there are simple ways to reduce your risk of getting sick. It’s all about washing your hands properly.
It may seem obvious, but hand washing is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infection, says Dr. Eric Asher, a family physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in Northwell.
“More than 80% of infections are transmitted by hands, which carry germs from these surfaces and transfer them to the eyes, nose, or mouth,” he says. “It is especially important to wash your hands before and after touching shared surfaces, before eating and before touching your face.”
His rule of thumb? “Wash your hands when you enter the house.”
Here are other frequently asked questions and answers about proper handwashing.
How often should I wash my hands?
Remember the pandemic’s 20-second handwashing guidance? That’s still the golden rule, Asher says.
“This is the amount of time it takes for the soap and the friction created by rubbing your hands together to break down the germs,” he says, adding that you can time this by singing the Happy Birthday song, the chorus of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” or the chorus of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” to yourself at the sink.
It may seem simple, but studies have shown that people don’t wash their hands as much as they should, and when they do, it’s often less effective.
For the most thorough cleaning, be sure to scrub everywhere: your palms, fingers, backs of your hands, and nails.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is a particular concentration of microorganisms under your fingernails.
Is it better to wash your hands with hot or cold water?
The temperature at which you wash your hands doesn’t matter when it comes to killing germs.
“The secret to handwashing isn’t the water temperature,” Asher says. “It’s the soap, and the friction that occurs when you rub your hands together, and for a minimum of 20 seconds, that removes germs.”
Asher recommends lukewarm water because it’s the most comfortable.
“Hot water can dry your skin, and cold water can be uncomfortable for 20 seconds,” he says.
What about soaps and antibacterial soaps?
The CDC says the type of soap is also not very important.
“Studies have shown that there are no additional health benefits for consumers (this does not include professionals in health care settings) who use soaps with antimicrobial ingredients compared to using regular soap,” the agency said.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use soap.
“Washing your hands with soap is more effective than using water alone. Surfactants in soap lift dirt and microorganisms from the skin, and people tend to scrub their hands more thoroughly with soap, further removing germs,” the CDC advises.
Is hand sanitizer as effective as hand washing?
“Hand sanitizer is not a replacement for washing your hands with water and soap,” Usher said. “This is a temporary backup solution when water and soap are not readily available.”
That’s because hand sanitizers don’t eliminate all infection-causing bacteria. For example, Asher explains, hand sanitizers can’t kill norovirus, which causes gastroenteritis.
Additionally, if the sanitizer has less than 70% alcohol content, it may be even less likely to kill germs, he added.
You’ve probably heard what the experts have to say. For maximum effectiveness, continue scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing with soap and water for 20 seconds.
