Author: Romina Peralta
The holiday season has descended upon us, enveloping our homes in the comforting aroma of pine and the soft glow of twinkling lights. Amidst the enchanting chaos of decorating, shopping, and preparing feasts, there's a discreet, yet unwanted guest to the festivities—germs. Did you know that an average person unconsciously touches their face around 50 times per hour¹, unwittingly transferring germs from various surfaces? In the spirit of preserving the magic of Christmas without the unwanted annoyance of illness, GOJO is here to guide you through the intricacies of when and why to keep your hands clean during this holiday season. Let's unwrap the present of good health together, ensuring our celebrations are not only filled with the warmth of love and laughter but also with the added assurance of clean hands and overall well-being.
Decking the Halls: After Putting Up the Christmas Decorations
As the twinkling lights and glittering ornaments adorn your home, remember that your decorations might be hiding more than just festive cheer. The chances are they have been stored in a dusty loft or garage since last year and could be harbouring unseen germs. Take a moment to wash your hands after transforming your space into a winter wonderland to ensure the only thing spreading is holiday joy.
Retail Therapy: When Coming Home from Christmas Shopping
Amidst the hustle and bustle of festive shopping, you're not just picking up gifts; you're also accumulating a staggering number of germs. On average, you touch 300 surfaces every 30 minutes, exposing yourself to a staggering 840,000 germs². Shockingly, trolleys can be 361 times dirtier than a toilet door!³ Be prepared by carrying your own hand sanitiser and using it before and after gripping that trolley handle. Your hands will thank you for the extra layer of protection.
Gifts Galore: After Wrapping Presents
The magic of Christmas often involves wrapping surprises for loved ones. However, don't let the joy of giving be accompanied by unwanted germs. Wash your hands before starting and after the final ribbon is tied, take a moment to wash away any lingering surprises on your hands.
Feast Preparation: Before, During, and After
Food is at the heart of every Christmas celebration, and proper hand hygiene is non-negotiable. Shockingly, only 20% of people wash their hands before preparing food⁴, contributing to nearly 50% of all foodborne illness outbreaks⁵. Prioritise handwashing before, during, and after handling uncooked meat, chicken, poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs. Protect your loved ones from foodborne illnesses and make this holiday season a healthy and joyful one.
Christmas Dinner: Before Eating
With an estimated 2.4 million cases of food poisoning in the UK each year⁶, safeguarding your Christmas feast is paramount. Review the proper storage, cooking, reuse, and freezing of food to minimise food waste and ensure a safe and delicious celebration. Encourage your guests to wash their hands before indulging in the festive spread, and consider placing a hand sanitiser bottle near the dinner table for added convenience.
Post-Festivities Clean-Up: After Tidying Up and Cleaning
Once the celebrations wind down, the cleaning begins. Whether wiping surfaces or handling chemicals, ensure a thorough hand wash after each cleaning task. Washing your hands after using chemicals not only helps maintain a germ-free space but also plays a crucial role in keeping your skin healthy. The removal of potentially harmful substances from your skin contributes to its overall well-being, making it a thoughtful and essential gift to yourself amidst the post-celebration clean-up.
Rubbish Ritual: Scrubbing Away the Aftermath of Dinner Delights
Out with the old, in with the clean! After dealing with leftovers or taking out the rubbish, don't forget to wash away any traces of holiday mess on your hands. This simple yet effective step not only ensures that your hands are free from potential contaminants but also promotes good hygiene practices. Particularly, if you've been handling rubbish or disposing of food remnants, a thorough hand wash helps prevent the transfer of germs and keeps your hands fresh and clean.
Paw-sitively Clean: A Handwashing Encore After Pet Pats and Treats
Pets are part of the family, but they also come with their own set of germs. After cuddling with your furry friends or handling their food, show those germs the door with a good hand wash. Keep the bond with your pets strong while ensuring a clean and safe environment by making hand washing a routine after any interaction with them, their food, or their treats.
A Global Gathering: Hosting Guests from Abroad
If you have guests flying in from afar, consider the potential for germ transmission in airports. Up to 80% of communicable diseases are transferred by touch⁷, emphasising the need for effective handwashing. Promote good hand hygiene practices to reduce infection transmission and ensure a healthy and memorable holiday gathering.
As you celebrate the warmth of the season, make hand hygiene a priority. GOJO wishes you a safe, healthy, and joyous Christmas filled with love, laughter, and clean hands!
Sources:
- Rahman, J., Mumin, J., & Fakhruddin, B. (2020). How frequently do we touch facial T-zone: A systematic review. In Annals of Global Health (Vol. 86, Issue 1, pp. 1–9). Ubiquity Press. https://doi.org/10.5334/aogh.2956
- Survey Says Consumer Awareness of Importance of Hand Hygiene is Grossly Exaggerated. (2012, October 12). Infection Control Today. https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/view/survey-says-consumer-awareness-importance-hand-hygiene-grossly-exaggerated
- Tanner, C. (2017, July 3). A supermarket shopping trolley has 361 times MORE bacteria than a toilet door knob (unsurprisingly the ones at an upmarket store were the cleanest). Daily Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4654458/Shopping-trollies-361-times-dirtier-toilet-door-knob.html
- Sing happy birthday twice while washing your hands, say pharmacists | Health | The Guardian. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/29/wash-your-hands-20-seconds-kill-germs-pharmacists
- Lee, M.-S., Hong, S. J., & Kim, Y.-T. (n.d.). Handwashing with soap and national handwashing projects in Korea: focus on the National Handwashing Survey, 2006-2014. Epidemiology and Health, 9, 37. https://doi.org/10.4178/epih/e2015039
- Holland, D., Thomson, L., Mahmoudzadeh, N., & Khaled, A. (2020). Estimating deaths from foodborne disease in the UK for 11 key pathogens. BMJ Open Gastro, 7, 377. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgast-2020-000377
- Tierno, P. The Secret Life of Germs. New York, NY, USA: Atria Books, 2001.
