World Hand Hygiene Day
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set aside May 5 as World Hand Hygiene Day. Hand washing rates were high in the early days of the pandemic but have dropped as the population has learned to live with Covid. As World Hand Hygiene Day approaches, Dr. Stavros O. Alexopoulos and everyone at the My Chicago Foot Expert office want you to remember that good hand washing is one of the best practices to prevent disease transmission.
Frequent and thorough handwashing will help keep you from catching and spreading all sorts of communicable illnesses. It will also keep feet healthy and free from infection. Washing your hands will reduce your risk of contracting or transmitting viral skin infections such as plantar warts and fungal infections, including athlete’s foot and toenail fungus.
You should wash your hands several times each day. Important times to wash include:
- when you return home from work, errands, or other time out in public
- after using the toilet
- before and after changing a diaper or caring for an ill person
- before and after preparing food
- after you touch your pet
- when handling your feet to trim toenails or to check for small injuries (especially important for people with diabetes, neuropathy, or another condition that makes it hard to perceive discomfort in the extremities)
It is critical that you wash your hands properly. Use an antibacterial soap and work it into a lather. Wash for at least 20 seconds, scrubbing the palms and backs of the hands, between the fingers, and under the nails. Rinse well with plenty of warm water. If you’re in a public restroom, use a disposable towel when you have to open the door to prevent touching the surface of the doorknob with your clean hands. If it’s time to wash your hands, but you don’t have access to soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to kill germs until you get to a sink.
Will someone else be handling your feet today, perhaps for a foot massage or a pedicure? Protect your health and theirs by insisting that they wash before touching you.
Are you worried about a skin infection of the feet, or do you have another concern about the health and wellness of your feet, ankles, or lower legs? Call the friendly My Chicago Foot Expert staff at (773) 561-8100 or click here to schedule an appointment with Cook county podiatrist Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM, in our modern, comfortable Ravenswood office today.
