For most of us summer means holidays and getting out and about. Sun, relaxation, and spending time and sharing food with friends and family is the order of the day.
Unfortunately, sometimes all this socialising and mingling can also mean sharing or picking up germs. Keeping on top of hand hygiene while you’re out and about can help to protect the family and keep the fun rolling all summer long.
Out and about
Whether you’re creating sandcastles at the beach, planting veggies, playing hopscotch, hunting around rockpools, or going on a bushwalk, your hands are constantly in use, getting wet or dirty (or both!).
Getting everyone into the habit of washing their hands after summer activities can help to protect the family from the germs we pick up.
Ensure hands are washed:
- After playing outside
- After playing with pets, touching animals or animal food
- After using the toilet
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After handling rubbish
- After changing a nappy
- Before food preparation
- Before eating
- Before and after treating a cut or wound
Hand washing
To get hands really clean, use soap and warm, running water. To effectively wash your hands, use soap and warm running water and rub vigorously for at least 20 seconds ensuring you get under your fingernails. Dry your hands thoroughly using a clean towel.
Hand sanitising
When you are out and about it’s not always easy to keep hands clean as you are unlikely to have a plentiful supply of warm running water. An alcohol-based hand sanitiser is an ideal solution as they do not require water.
Written by Julie Scanlon
Julie is Editor for Kidspot NZ and our MVP. Her hobbies include laughing uncontrollably at her own jokes, annoying her family by asking questions about movie plots, and never taking anything too seriously. She speaks a little Spanish and a lot of Yorkshire.
Favourite motto to live by: “It ain’t nothing but a thing”
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