CTAHR Cooperative Extension and Clean Hands Coalition Celebrate National "Clean Hands Week," September 19-25

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Lynn Nakamura-Tengan, (808) 244-3242
CTAHR Cooperative Extension Office
Arlene Abiang, (808) 956-5637
External Affairs & University Relations
Posted: Sep 7, 2004

HONOLULU — Join UH Mānoa‘s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Cooperative Extension Office and the Clean Hands Coalition in celebrating National
"Clean Hands Week" from September 19-25. The general public is encouraged to practice hand washing and make it a habit to prevent illness.

According to the Center for Disease Control, hand washing is the single most important act people can do to prevent getting sick and making others sick. It is estimated that 5,000 people die each year from food borne illness. In addition, 78 million become ill and between 79,000 and 96,000 die from hospital infections each year. A direct link to many of these deaths is poor hand washing.

Hand washing is important for food safety, disease prevention and personal health. Though it might seem like a common practice, it is important for people to remember to wash their hands before eating and after using the bathroom, during and after preparing food, after handling animals or animal waste, after playing sports, after changing diapers and anytime hands are dirty. Health officials recommend using soap and warm water, scrubbing for 20 seconds, and then rinse and dry.

For more information on the Clean Hands Coalition, visit http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfmjb/CHC/index.html. For more information on local training sessions and presentations conducted throughout the year, contact Lynn Nakamura-Tengan, CTAHR extension educator, at 808-244-3242

For more information, visit: http://www.wiu.edu/users/mfmjb/CHC/index.html