Want to know that #1 way to stop spreading germs? It’s quite simple: wash your hands!

Think about it – no touch is germ-free. That means every time you touch your eyes, mouth, face and even your food, you’re putting germs into your body.

This can be a big problem, especially since Norovirus is responsible for roughly 1 in 5 cases worldwide of acute gastroenteritis and the flu was 3x as widespread this year than last year. It’s even more of a problem in health care facilities. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that medical staff only wash their hands about half the time. The CDC states: "This contributes to the spread of healthcare-associated infections that affect 1 in 25 hospital patients on any given day."

One survey found that only 5% of its subjects washed their hands for 15 seconds or more – the CDC says to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Proper hand hygiene is important to stop the spread of germs. Here are some tips you can follow to make sure you are doing a good job when washing your hands:

• Use soap and water – apply enough soap to cover your hands.
• Scrub, scrub, scrub! Make sure you get the backs of your hands, under your nails and in-between your fingers.
• Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
• Rinse your hands off and dry them thoroughly with a single use towel.
• Pro tip: Want to take extra precautions? Place hand sanitizer outside the restroom door and use it after you leave the restroom.

Want to increase compliance in your facility and help people become handwashing gurus? Implement the Compass^® Hand Hygiene Program from Betco^® today! Click here to learn more.