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Break
the chain of infection – wash your hands regularly
The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) today
launched a public information campaign urging people to help
prevent infection by regular hand washing.
The back to basics message stresses that regular and proper
hand washing can have a significant effect on preventing
serious infections with up to 50% of infections being preventable
by washing hands regularly.
The public information campaign includes
television advertising, leaflets and the distribution of
posters. The campaign represents
the second phase of the public information work commissioned
through the Department of Health, Social Services and Public
Safety’s Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (AMRAP).
The first phase focused on the appropriate use of antibiotics.
Speaking on the issue Dr Hugh Webb, Chair
of the regional AMRAP group, said: “Every day we
regularly encounter disease-causing germs, both bacteria
and viruses, which may
easily be spread by unwashed hands through direct person
to person contact, or indirectly through contaminated objects
in our environment. Illnesses, which can be spread in this
way, include not only vomiting and diarrhoea but also respiratory
infections and serious infections such as meningitis.
“The importance of clean hands in food
preparation and the prevention of food poisoning is well
known. Schools
and institutions are settings where contaminated hands can
cause outbreaks of infection and good hand hygiene reduces
this hazard greatly. In hospitals where carers are attending
the needs of many patients, effective hand hygiene is essential.”
The campaign is supported by a recent survey commissioned
by the HPA which found that just under one third of people
considered regular hand washing as the most effective way
to reduce the spread of common infections. Almost half of
those surveyed (48%) ranked washing their hands after using
the toilet as the most effective method of reducing the spread
of infections; however, only 30% remembered to wash their
hands after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing, and
just 23% after handling money.
Dr Webb continued: “Daily we touch
things that have been handled by other people, such as
money, cash machines,
toilets and phones that potentially create a chain effect
in the spread of germs. But it is easy to break the chain
simply by handwashing, taking care to wash all surfaces,
rinse away the soap, drying gently and thoroughly with paper
or clean cloth towel.”
The
television advertising will commence tonight and run until
the end of February. Copies of the information leaflet
and poster are available from Central Health Promotion
Resource Services in the Board areas. These support materials
have also been distributed to GP surgeries, pharmacies
and opticians.
END
Notes
to the editor
- Dr Hugh Webb is Chair
of the regional AMRAP group and Head of Microbiology
in Belfast Link Laboratories.
- The first
phase of the AMRAP campaign was launched in December 2004 to raise
awareness among the public about
the over use of antibiotics. Leaflets, posters and a television
advertisement were launched as part of the campaign. Copies
of these publications are available from the HPA.
- For
more information about AMRAP go to www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/foi/Strategies&Action.
For further information
Contact Jenny Dougan on 028 9031 1611.
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