Global Handwashing Day 2021: Hand Hygiene for All

15 October is Global Handwashing Day, an annual opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of proper handwashing habits to help prevent the spread of infection and reduce sickness.

Hands are a natural breeding ground for germs, in fact they are one of the principal carriers of disease-causing germs. Nearly 80% of infections are spread by hands, so encouraging good hand hygiene behaviours is an effective way to stop germs spreading. The global COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that the most effective solution against the spread of disease is through maintaining proper hand hygiene, in fact, a recent study also found that regular handwashing with soap can reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 infection by 36%.

Hand hygiene in schools

The simple act of washing hands can reduce the risk of getting a stomach bug by as much as 47%. As role models, teachers and adults can help form children’s identity with hygiene from a very young age, with the potential to build a positive foundation and instil good hygiene habits that will last a lifetime.

Download our School Hand Hygiene Kit to help spread the word on why hand hygiene matters. Included in this pack are hand washing tips and fun ideas on how to engage kids in learning about this important topic. You may also be interested in reading more about school hygiene in these blog articles:

Hand hygiene in the office

Not only does poor hand hygiene effect our health and wellbeing, it also increases the rate of absenteeism for businesses.

Absenteeism costs the South African economy R12 - R16 billion per year. Help your staff up their hand hygiene games by placing these posters around 'high risk' zones across the office, as a reminder about cross contamination - and help curb absenteeism. You may also be interested in reading more about office hygiene in these blog articles:

Hand Sanitiser and SaniGreen Stands

Our dispensers include integral antibacterial technology and are perfect for when there’s no water or soap available. Combine this with our full service solution and your facility will always have high hygiene standards where you need them most. Find out more about our Hand Sanitser services and range. Or, for an elegant, no-touch hand sanitising station that not only protects people, but also incorporates the positive impact of plants, read more about our SaniGreen hand sanitiser stands from Ambius.