As COVID-19 continues to spread across the globe and in the United States, I had a lot of clients over the last several weeks ask me what they could do to protect themselves and their families from this coronavirus disease. The first thing that came to mind was, “BE SMART!” Well, just what does that mean?
Your best bet for protection from COVID-19 is not actually wearing a mask, but simply washing your hands correctly and on a regular basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, “Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout the entire community.”
That may sound very simplistic, but a recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that 97% of the time, people are not washing their hands correctly, either by failing to dry their hands completely or not taking enough time to let the soap and water to do their work.
The CDC has a specific handwashing process based on science-backed data. The entire process takes about 30 seconds, so it is a very small investment of your time for ensuring your health and well-being as well as for your fellow citizens.
Here is the correct way to wash your hands:
•Wet your hands with clean, warm or cold running water, turn off the tap, and apply soap.
Running water is the best method found for washing your hands, as your hands could be recontaminated if placed back in a basin of water that has been contaminated through previous use.
If you are wondering about whether using hot or cold water is better, according to the CDC the temperature of the water does not appear to affect microbe removal. However, they do point out that warmer water may cause more skin irritation and is more environmentally costly. To help save water and to make sure no germs are transferred between your hands and the faucet, turn off the faucet before applying soap.
However, the key is using soap to wash your hands rather than just using water alone. That’s because the surfactant in soap, a substance that reduces the surface tension of a liquid, lifts soil and microbes from the skin. Using soap helps most of us scrub our hands a little more thoroughly.
Fortunately, the type of soap doesn’t matter, per the CDC: Scientific studies have proven there are no added health benefits for consumers using antibacterial soaps compared with using plain soap. That is of course unless you are a healthcare professional. Then, an antibacterial soap is warranted.
•Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap.
Rub your hands together with the soap making sure to lather the back of your hands, between the fingers, and under your nails by scrubbing the nails of one hand on the palm of your other hand. Lathering and scrubbing hands together creates friction, which helps to lift dirt, grease, and more importantly microbes from the skin, the CDC explains.
They add to pay special attention to your fingernails because microbes are present on all surfaces of the hand, often in a particularly high concentration under the nails, so the entire hand needs to be scrubbed.
•Keep rubbing your hands together for at least 20 seconds.
You don’t have to have a timer on, but you could hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. You could also sing the alphabet song. Whatever you choose to sing, just keep that 20 second time frame in mind. While few studies about potential health impacts of altering hand washing times have been done, those that do exist suggest that washing hands for about 15-30 seconds removes more germs from the hands than washing for shorter periods of time.
•Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
Now that all the dirt, grease, and microbes have been lifted off your hands by the soap, rinsing is just as important to remove the disease causing germs like coronavirus. Using clean, running water for this step is a must since it prevents your hands from being recontaminated.
•Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Proper handwashing techniques don’t end as soon as the water is turned off. Drying is important too. It is important to throughly dry your hands either with a clean towel, a paper towel, or via an air dryer. Remember, germs can be transferred more easily to and from wet hands; therefore, hands should be dried after washing. Whichever method is used, just make sure your hands are completely dry before you touch anything else.
•In a pinch, use a hand sanitizer.
If you can’t wash your hands, the CDC suggests using a hand sanitizer with 60-95% alcohol. No matter the brand used, the dispenser should have displayed the amount of alcohol used in the sanitizer. Even though the sanitizers can inactivate many types of microbes, soap and water is still the preferred method.
There is also a proper way to use sanitizers: Apply the product to the palm of one hand. Then, rub the product all over the surfaces of your hands until your hands are dry. I use an alcohol based sanitizer at my clinic before and after patients.
According to the most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the CDC, COVID-19 spreads from person-to-person mainly via respiratory transmission. That is essentially by coming into contact with respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes of an infected person. Keep in mind that close contact means people who are within six feet of you. That’s how far infected droplets can spread.
The CDC also reports that COVID-19 can be contracted after a person touches a surface or object with the virus on it, then touches their own mouth, nose, or eyes. However again, this is not the main way this virus passes between people. Still, it is good advice to keep your hands away from your face!
New recent research has also emerged suggesting that COVID-19 can also be spread through fecal transmission via a fecal-oral route, similar to how norovirus is spread. It can also be spread by contact with an infected person’s blood. But again I stress, COVID-19 is mainly spread via respiratory transmission.
Be realistic about your own risk of contracting coronavirus. It is important to maintain some perspective when it comes to this coronavirus outbreak: Yes, COVID-19 has been declared a “public health emergency of international concern” and the CDC has said that the public health threat is “high”, both globally and to the United States. However, if you play it smart, you can greatly decrease your chances of getting the virus.
The good news: Most people recover when getting the virus with rest and fluids. There is no approved treatment or vaccine yet for this strain of coronavirus. The worst thing you can do is go into work or school if you are sick. That spreads the infection and makes it harder to recover. Also, if you don’t have to travel, don’t. Keep in mind that there are still too many unanswered questions about COVID-19 and more information comes out every day.
I do know one thing for sure! You also can’t go wrong by focusing on washing your hands and hydrating, hydrating, and hydrating. I can’t emphasize enough, drink plenty of water during your day. Remember, we are 80% water.
So there you have it! The best advice I can give you about the staying well. If you have any additional questions about COVID-19, contact your primary physician. Be well.
COVID-19 UPDATE:
Since writing this article, a lot has changed in our world regarding this virus. The following are suggestions that I have read on protecting yourself and your family from this virus:
•Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) note that sanitizers containing 60% alcohol can fill the void if soap and water are unavailable. In theory, then, any do-it-yourself concoction with 60% alcohol should do the trick.
•Health experts in Taiwan have suggested a simple self-check that we can do every morning: Take a deep breath and hold it for more than 10 seconds. If you do this successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness of chest, there is no fibrosis in the lungs basically indicating no infection. You can check yourself every morning. Fibrosis of the lungs occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred as with COVID-19 virus. This thickened, stiff lung tissue makes it more difficult for the lungs to work properly and shortness of breath occurs.
•Excellent advice by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19 cases: Everyone should insure their mouth and throats are moist, never dry. A good rule of thumb is to take a few sips of water every 15 minutes. So, have a water bottle close by. Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash the contaminating virus down through the throat and into the stomach where the stomach acid will kill the virus. If you don’t drink enough water regularly, you are at more of a risk that the COVID-19 virus can enter the windpipe and then spread to the lungs! As I said over and over again, “hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.”
•If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.
•If someone sneezes with the virus, the droplets go about 10 feet before it hits the ground and is no longer airborne. If it drops on a metal surface, it will live for at least 12 hours. Therefore, a good rule of thumb is that if you come in contact with metal (door knobs, metal handles of gas pump), wash your hands as soon as you can. On fabric, the virus can survive 6-12 hours and normal laundry detergent will kill the virus.
•Again, drinking water is important, but drinking warm water is evidently more effective. Try not to drink liquids with ice.
•Remember, the symptoms of infection by this virus attacks the throat first causing a sore throat that lasts 3-4 days. The virus then blends with nasal fluid and enters the trachea and finally the lungs causing pneumonia. This takes about 5-6 days. With pneumonia comes the high fever and difficulty in breathing because of the fibrosis of the lungs.
•None of these precautions guarantee you to be 100% safe from infection. However, they do reduce your risk of infection. If you have any questions regrading your health status during these trying times, contact your family doctor or health professional.
MARCH 3O, 2020 UPDATE:
WHILE MY CLINIC IS SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS, I WILL BE OFFERING CONSULTATION ON LINE FOR ANYONE WHO MAYBE EXPERIENCING A FLARE UP OF THEIR SYMPTOMS. I WILL BE GETTING SKYPE, ZOOM, OR GOOGLE VIDEO IN ORDER TO HAVE A VISUAL. THE COST IS $50.00 PER CONSULTATION.
All of you, “BE WELL!”
Terry J. Kern, P.T.