COVID-19 spreads from person to person via droplets of infected
fluid. These are passed on via touch, direct hand
to hand contact or
from contaminated surfaces, or when someone standing close to an
infected person breathes in droplets that have been coughed or sneezed
into the air.
Experts say spending time focusing on hand hygiene
can help you reduce your risk of picking up coronavirus, as well as any
other number of infectious diseases.
How hands help spread coronavirus
Hands
contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in several ways, said Associate
Professor Sanjaya Senanyake,
an infectious diseases specialist from the
Australian National University.
"People who are coughing and
sneezing, either into their own hands or onto surfaces, are
contaminating their
hands and those surfaces with virus particles," Dr
Senanyake said.
It's not yet known how long COVID-19 survives
outside the body, but we do know virus particles can survive for
long
periods, in some cases several hours.
If you touch a contaminated hand or surface (a doorknob, table or bench for example), the virus can transfer to
your hands.
The thing is, you will not get sick if the virus goes no further than your hands.
"But if your hands have coronavirus on them and you touch your face, then you definitely can get infected,
" Dr Senanyake said.
That's because the virus needs to make its way inside certain cells in your body for you to get sick.
In the case of coronavirus, it needs to get to your respiratory system via your mouth, nose or eyes.
"While
most children know to keep their hands away from their mouths, it's
your eyes that are a major pathway for respiratory viruses," Professor
Bill Rawlinson said.
"Your eyes are full of blood vessels. If you put viruses into your eye they just leap immediately into your blood
vessels."
So it's simple, right? Stop touching your face and wash your hands.
Problem is, most of us are not great at either of these things.
"Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water,"
it advises.
"Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands."
Research shows hand washing significantly helps to prevent illness and the spread of infection.
And hand washing shouldn't just follow toilet use. You should also wash your hands:
after you cough or sneeze
when you have been using public transport
before you eat and when you prepare food
after you handle animals
when you care for someone unwell
Get your hand hygiene right
Your handwashing technique is also important — so here's a quick rundown on the things that matter.
Don't rush:
A quick splash under the tap isn't enough. For germ-free hands you'll
need to do a thorough wash
under clean running water, lasting 20
seconds, with lots of rubbing together of the hands (front, back and
between the fingers). Children can be encouraged to sing the entire
"Happy Birthday" song twice to make sure they wash
their hands for long
enough.
Soap up: If you're at a tap and there's
some soap nearby, use it. Any germs on your hands will be attached to
the
layer of acidic fats, oils and cellular debris on the surface of the
skin. Soap dissolves this layer and so does a better
job of dislodging
the bugs than merely rubbing your hands under water alone.
Liquid versus bar soap:
While liquid soap is less likely to be contaminated than a cake of
soap, this is more of an
issue in public places than at home.
Antibacterial isn't any better:
It may be tempting to use antibacterial soaps to be sure you get rid of
all the nasties,
but there's no proof these products work any better
than regular soap and water. Rather there are fears these products may
actually cause harm by encouraging bacteria to become resistant to their
active ingredients.
Running water is best: It's
best to use running water if you can, as clean hands are likely to
become contaminated
again if you wash them in a sink or bowl of water.
If there's no running water then make do with what is available.
Water temperature:
Very hot water may kill disease-causing microbes, but the temperature
needed (80 degrees
Celsius) would leave you with significant burns. Soap
lathers better in warm water, which is also less likely to strip
away
the natural oils in your skin than either hot or cold water.
Remember to rinse:
Once the soap and the friction have lifted the dirt and germs from your
hands, you want to
rinse them down the sink. Again, you want to rinse
under clean running water if possible.