Greenlands Primary joins City to observe Global Handwashing Day
Cape Town – Did you know that the first Global Handwashing Day was created in 2008 to promote the importance of hand hygiene for health? If you agree, wash your hands frequently, kids.
Greenlands Primary School hosted a Global Handwashing Day celebration this week as part of the City of Cape Town health department’s drive to promote hand washing.
An environmental health practitioners conducted more than 1 251 health and hygiene interventions in the city from July 2022 to June, educating communities about health risks and preventive measures.
This year’s theme is “Clean hands, healthy lives”, emphasising the significance of hand washing in preventing disease spread and safeguarding vulnerable groups.
At this event, students were taught how to create their own tippy-taps, which require little water for hand washing.
Patricia van der Ross, a councillor who serves on the mayoral committee for community services and health, said that routine hand washing is a simple way to prevent the spread of germs and stay healthy.
“It is important that our children are taught the basics of preventing illness and how to keep themselves safe,” said Van der Ross.
Environmental health practitioners and water and sanitation personnel from the City worked together to observe Global Handwashing Day.
Here are guidelines for proper hand washing, outlining the dos and don’ts of proper hygiene practices to help kids maintain a healthy and safe environment.
The Dos:
Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds. Sing “Happy Birthday” twice while washing your hands, checking your wrists, fingers, and nail area.
To get rid of soap and germs, rinse with clean running water, air-dry, or use a fresh towel to eliminate soap and germs.
The Don’ts
Use cool water instead of hot because hot water can damage your skin.
For better results, don’t rush; take your time and thoroughly wash your hands.
Pay attention to areas that are frequently disregarded, such as the wrists and backs of your hands, and don’t ignore any crevices or blind spots.
Be a part of this day. About 120 million kids in more than 70 countries have been washing their hands with soap.