Why is handwashing important against the coronavirus?
One of the most important recommendations found in each and every one of the awareness campaigns in the face of the SARS-CoV-2 virus or covid-19 pandemic is to wash your hands, however, there are many people who are not taking this suggestion very seriously.
The reason is that they have not really understood the importance of proper hand washing in the face of this pandemic situation of this new pathogen part of the coronavirus family, so we will talk a little about the importance of this simple practice to protect you from infection and explain how to do it properly.
The importance of hand washing
One of the main weapons against SARS-CoV-2 that since the end of 2019 has been plaguing the world and collapsing the health system is washing your hands, but why is such a simple act so important in the defense against this coronavirus?
The reason is because of the structure of the virus, in the study of it by scientists it was determined that it has a lipid shell. Well, it is a protective shield made of grease, so when the soap comes into contact with the virus it dissolves that protection and the virus dies.
But if it is so easy to kill the virus, why all the fuss? The reason is because this solution can only be applied before it enters the body, in addition since it is a virus that causes a disease similar to the flu it is highly contagious, in fact, experts assure that just by being close to an infected person less than two meters away one can be infected.
And although not all people get seriously worse and many survive, this coronavirus can cause serious respiratory problems (hence the nomenclature SARS) and whose symptoms become stronger in people of Caucasian ethnicity.
That’s why handwashing is so critical in the fight against coronavirus: It’s a simple method that allows us to protect ourselves and the people around us.
The Right Way to Wash Your Hands
While it is important to be aware that handwashing is essential in the fight against this pandemic, the WHO has highlighted the fact that many people do not wash their hands properly
The danger of not washing our hands properly offers the false assurance that our actions do not spread the virus or prevent us from becoming infected… And that’s not true.
So to prevent any mistakes, here are the steps to properly wash your hands:
- Wet your hands using warm water, if you don’t have it try to use at the highest temperature you have available.
- Apply enough soap on all hands, wipe it over the entire surface of your hands.
- Wash your hands for at least twenty seconds, taking care to:
- Rub both palms and then each against the back of the other
- Rub by crossing your fingers
- Wash up to the wrist
- Perform a rotary motion
- Rinse your hands thoroughly.
Likewise, this knowledge is not only applicable during these complicated months due to the pandemic, proper hand washing is a primary health technique that we need to apply in every context of the rest of our lives.
