About 20 seconds with soap and water allows all hand surfaces to be washed.
Wash palms, backs of hands, between fingers, fingertips and beneath nails, then dry thoroughly. Before eating, after using the toilet, after coughing or sneezing, and while caring for someone ill are important times to wash.
Medical principle
Effective prevention usually involves simple repeated habits: correct handwashing, food safety, appropriate vaccination and responsible medicine use. Excessive disinfection or unnecessary antibiotics do not replace these principles.
Practical steps that may help
- Wash hands with soap and water at key times, using suitable alcohol sanitiser when unavailable.
- Separate raw and cooked food, refrigerate perishables promptly and keep surfaces clean.
- Keep vaccination and medicine records and review them at routine visits.
When should you seek medical care?
Possible poisoning, a severe reaction after medicine or vaccination, significant fever and dehydration, or signs of severe infection need prompt assessment.
View a trusted medical source ↗