Yes.
Often in mystery stories/novels, an individual is killed while shaking hands with an agent/assassin. Moreover, because 95% of Americans fail to wash their hands properly, after using the restroom, you might find yourself ill and perhaps wishing that you were dead after you have shaken the hand of only one of those 95% of Americans.
Shaking hands with individuals who do not wash their hands properly might kill you or make you severely ill.
Individuals not washing their hands properly after using the bathroom might be the cause of many fecal oral illnesses.
According to the CDC, One trillion germs can live in one gram of poop. (That is the weight of a paper clip!) Wash your hands after using the toilet.
Proper hand washing requires using soap and water for at least 20 seconds and requires washing the front and back of the hand, in between fingers and under the nails. (This link demonstrates and explains proper hand washing techniques: http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/) However, most individuals only wash their hands for 6 seconds or less, which can allow for growth of disease causing organisms such as bacteria and viruses on their hands that can be transferred to those whose hands they might shake.
Proper hand washing could save more lives than any medical intervention or vaccination.
The CDC notes that the simple act of hand washing is one of the “most effective” things someone can do to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
Nearly 50 percent of all foodborne illness outbreaks are due to failing to wash one’s hands appropriately.
The next blog will describe the various surfaces which can and are easily contaminated by 95% of us all because we fail to appropriately wash our hands with soap and water for the time it takes to sing happy birthday two times.
A study published: June 10, 2013 by Michigan State University researchers that monitored the behavior or 3,749 people in public bathroom revealed the following shocking statistics. (Link to video describing findings and proper hand washing techniques by MSU: http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/57600.php?from=241802)
Only 5% of Individuals washed their hands properly or long enough after using the bathroom to kill the germs that might cause infections.
95% of individuals using the restroom did not wash their hands appropriately enough to avoid transmitting potentially dangerous and life threatening organisms to others.
15% of men and 7% of women did not even wash their hands after using the restroom.
Only 50% of men and 79% of women used soap while washing their hands.
People were less likely to wash their hands if the sink was dirty.
Hand washing was more prevalent earlier in the day. This suggests people who were out at night for a meal or drinks were in a relaxed mode and hand washing became less important.
People were more likely to wash their hands if a sign encouraging them to do so was present.
However, 96% of individuals in two different surveys stated that they washed their hands according to CDC guidelines and used soap and water.
To avoid spreading disease causing organisms please consider following these steps:
1) Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or singing ‘Happy birthday to you’ two times while washing hands
2) Wash hands after shaking hands, changing diapers, sneezing on your hands, touching pets
3) Wash hands after using an ATM machine, computer mouse, and keyboards.
4) Wash hands after placing food in refrigerator or removing foods from refrigerators
5) While shopping clean the handle of shopping carts
6) Avoid drinking out of glasses at a bar, drink beer from a bottle.
7) Avoid asking for lime or lemon wedges for your water, as up to 70% might be contaminated by fecal bacteria
Always wash your hands after the following activities:
1) After petting a dog or cat
2) Before handling or eating food
3) After coughing or sneezing
4) After handling money
5) After changing a diaper
6) After using the bathroom in their home
7) After handling a menu at a restaurant as many menus may be contaminated with fecal bacteria
Using a hand sanitizer with at least 60-70% alcohol if soap and water are available after shaking hands, using the restroom or any of the above-mentioned activities can also help prevent disease transmission.
In the next blog, we will visit everyday items we use daily that might increase your risk of fecal oral contamination.
http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/eww-only-5-percent-wash-hands-correctly/
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/06/14/only-5-of-americans-wash-their-hands-right/
Only Five Percent of Americans Know How to Wash Their Hands | TIME.com http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/06/14/only-5-of-americans-wash-their-hands-right/#ixzz2syQgk8cU
http://todayilearned.co.uk/2013/06/12/15-of-men-dont-wash-their-hands-before-leaving-the-bathroom/
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/130610_handwash.htm/
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/msu-eo5061013.php
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/06/study-95-of-people-dont-wash-their-hands-correctly/276720/