Hands, which are the primary vehicles for transmitting infectious diseases and spreading them, play a crucial role in the development of upper respiratory tract infections and acute gastroenteritis.

Diarrhea caused by eating or preparing food with poorly washed hands can cause epidemics. He noted that a person with a cold can directly transmit viruses if they cough, sneeze, or blow their nose and then touch their surroundings or other people without proper hand hygiene. Handwashing is crucial for preventing most hospital-acquired infections in hospitals. The correct handwashing method, which is simple, inexpensive, and easily implemented by all segments of society, and the importance of handwashing should be taught to children from an early age. Handwashing is a highly effective method for disease prevention, applicable to both individual and public health, and can be practiced by everyone when done appropriately. Developing proper handwashing habits for individual and public health can protect us from many infectious diseases. Proper hand washing involves rubbing your hands with plenty of soap and water for at least 15-20 seconds. Thoroughly clean the spaces between your fingers, palms, and under your nails. "The total handwashing time should be at least 1 minute," he said.

When Should Hands Be Washed?

We should wash our hands correctly and promptly before preparing food, before and after eating, after touching uncooked foods (especially red meat, chicken, fish, eggs), after touching spoiled food and garbage, after using the toilet, after changing children's diapers, after contact with upper respiratory tract secretions (sneezing, coughing, etc.), before and after contact with a sick person, after using shared public equipment (public transportation, exchanging money, using the telephone, etc.), and after contact with cats, dogs, and all other animals. In this period when the weather begins to cool and upper respiratory infections increase, washing hands frequently and correctly and maintaining hand hygiene after contact with infected materials is important in preventing infectious diseases. Simple yet health-important. Hand washing, which is very important for protection, should not be forgotten and should be made a habit.