Handwashing is a very vital and important part of every day life in order to “stay well”. Non compliance with basic hand hygiene recommendations would result in inadvertent infectious diseases both with the individual and affecting others (i.e. Henry’s first principle).
Many people think handwashing can be replaced with use of hand sanitizer. But what they do not know is that handwashing is the only effective way to remove the germs that are on your hands that are not “killed” by hand sanitizer. It is also critical that correct use of an appropriate sanitizer in order to achieve its efficacy for which some report as high as “kills 99.99% of germs”. Handwashing is the gold standard, which removes both the spores and all other germs and is the only effective method to ensure a greater chance of good outcomes. There is a new modification of using sanitizers with paper towels simulate the removal action of germs then follow with a second sanitizer action, when running water is not available. It seems like a promising strategy when soap and running water is not available.
In the right column you will find a presentation that tells you “everything you need to know about the effectiveness of Handwashing” and the pathogens that can be found on your hands.