BROOKLINE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES CLEAN HANDS FOR GOOD HEALTH CAMPAIGN

BROOKLINE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES CLEAN HANDS FOR GOOD HEALTH CAMPAIGN

As the cold and flu season approaches, the Brookline Department of Public Health is again launching its annual Clean Hands for Good Health campaign.

In announcing the health education project, Dr. Alan Balsam, Director of Public Health and Human Services, stated that “Frequent hand washing with soapand warm water is perhaps the simplest and most effective way to help you and your family stay healthy this winter.”

“Regular soap works fine,” Dr. Balsam emphasized, “antibacterial soap is unnecessary. In fact, the antibacterial soaps may contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.” Dr. Balsam also noted that with the increased incidence of diseases such as MRSA, (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) a drug resistant staph infection, simple hand washing is a very effective strategyto avoid the spread of germs.

The Health Department will distribute hand-washing educational packets to local schools, day care centers, libraries, town buildings, senior living centers and other Brookline locations. The packets include samples of posters, flyers and curricula that can be ordered from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts Medical Society and other organizations.
Tips for effective hand washing include:

• Rub your hands vigorously together and scrub all surfaces. Wash for at least 20 seconds. (Tip: have your children sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice whilewashing.) It is the soap combined with the scrubbing action that helps dislodge and remove germs.
• When soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers.You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using a gel, rub the gel in your hands until they are dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in the gel kills germs that cause colds and the flu. However, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers do not remove dirt.

Dr. Balsam mentioned two other very beneficial hygiene practices to avoid spreading germs:

1. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when people touch something that is contaminated with germs and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Germs can live for along time on surfaces like doorknobs, desks and tables.
2. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Turn your head (never cough in the direction of someone else) and cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away. If tissues arenot available, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow. Then, wash your hands, and do soevery time you cough or sneeze.

Dr. Balsam also noted that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website, www.mass.gov/handwashing has hand-washing information that can be copied from the website. If you would like any additional information about hand-washing materials, please contact Dawn Sibor at the Brookline Health Department, 617-730-2656.