December 6th through Dec. 12th is National Handwashing Awareness week, and Carroll County Public Health officials are reminding residents just how critical this simple step is, especially this year. Statistics have revealed some disturbing data, including that up to 80 percent of all communicable diseases are transferred by touch and that most bacteria is found on the fingertips and under the fingernails. So logically, the most touched items are carrying the most bacteria. Elevator buttons can have more than 22 percent more bacteria on them than a toilet seat and fecal matter has been found on about 10 percent of credit cards, 14 percent of banknotes and 16 percent of cell phones. Another alarming statistic that accompanies these percentages is that the majority of people only wash their hands for an average of six seconds. The recommended minimum—20 seconds. This failure to adequately wash contributes to nearly 50 percent of all foodborne illnesses. But proper handwashing can help reduce transmission of respiratory infection by nearly 80 percent. So help keep yourself and others healthier, one handwash at a time.
