Environmental Health implores you to wash your hands

August 26, 2016

SOLANO COUNTY – Making hand washing a habit is the single most important thing you can do to prevent yourself and others from being ill.

The Environmental Health Division of Solano County's Department of Resource Management will reinforce that message with an informational campaign in September as part of National Food Safety Education Month and International Clean Hands Week (September 18-24).  The campaign will target people who work in the more than 400 restaurants and other food facilities across the county. 

In addition to visiting restaurants and other food facilities, Solano County health officials are stressing the importance of hand-washing for everyone and its universal promotion in every public health field.

"Handwashing is like a "do-it-yourself" vaccine," says Joyce Benefield, Solano County Senior Environmental Health Specialist.  “Proper hand washing involves five simple and effective steps, including wet, lather, scrub, rinse and dry.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), regular hand washing can reduce the spread of diarrheal and respiratory illness, significantly reducing the spread of preventable disease.  The CDC also estimates one out of six Americans, or 48 million people, get sick each year as a result of inadequate hand washing.  Of these people, about 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 people die from food-borne illnesses.  There is a direct link to poor hand washing in many of these deaths.

During September, Environmental Health staff will conduct inspections at hundreds of food facilities to assess compliance with food safety requirements related to hand washing.  Businesses will receive certificates of recognition for demonstrating safe hand-washing techniques and practices.

“Solano County has a proactive environmental health program and food facilities concerned about providing good, safe food to their customers,” Benefield says.  “This campaign is our way of taking a preventative approach to food safety by awarding our facilities that apply good handwashing practices.”

The proper procedure for washing your hands is to use soap and water, lather for at least 10 to 15 seconds, rinse and dry. Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to reduce germs. If soap and water is not available, use a hand sanitizer.  Hands do not have to look dirty to require a good washing.

Hands should be washed:
-- Before, during and after preparing food
-- Before eating
-- Before and after caring for someone who is sick
-- Before and after treating a wound or cut
-- After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
-- After handling diapers
-- After handling garbage
-- After touching animals or pet food
-- After touching surfaces that are frequently touched by other people, such as door knobs
-- After using the toilet or helping a child use the toilet

For more information, contact Solano County’s Department of Resource Management, Environmental Health Division at (707) 784-6765.