2004-1-6
This is the VOA Special English Health Report.
Medical experts say the most effective way to prevent the spread
of disease is for people to wash their hands with soap and water.
The World Bank, the United
Nations, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
carried out a study to urge hand- washing around the world. They say
that programs to increase hand- washing with soap could be among the
most effective ways to reduce infectious disease. They say that
one-million lives could be saved each year if people washed their
hands with soap often.
Doctors say many diseases can be prevented from spreading by
hand-washing. These include pinworms, influenza, the common cold,
hepatitis A, meningitis and infectious diarrhea.
Hand-washing destroys germs from other people, animals or objects
a person has touched. When people get bacteria on their hands, they
can infect themselves by touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Then
these people can infect other people.
The experts say the easiest way to catch a cold is to touch your
nose or eyes after someone nearby has sneezed or coughed. Another
way to become sick is to eat food prepared by someone whose hands
were not clean.
The experts say that hand-washing is especially important before
and after preparing food, before eating and after using the toilet.
People should wash their hands after handling animals or animal
waste, and after cleaning a baby. The experts say it is also a good
idea to wash your hands after handling money and after sneezing or
coughing. And it is important to wash your hands often when someone
in your home is sick.
The experts say the most effective way to wash your hands is to
rub them together after using soap and warm water. They say you do
not have to use special anti-bacterial soap. Be sure to rub all
areas of the hands for about ten to fifteen seconds. The soap and
the rubbing action remove germs. Rinse the hands with water and dry
them.
Experts say that people using public bathrooms should dry their
hands with a paper towel and use the towel to turn off the water.
They also advise using the paper towel to open the bathroom door
before throwing the towel away.
This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Nancy
Steinbach.