Have you washed your hands yet?

No one can downplay the importance of hand washing. From the time we wake up, we use our hands endlessly and as we do, our hands collect millions of microorganisms that we don’t see.

Imagine life without hands? It must be very awful. Our hands are our most useful body parts. The brain rules but the hands execute. Our hands can do the littlest things and the biggest ones. Whether it is a clean or dirty task, our hands do it all.

All around us is a surface of microorganisms, some are harmful and some are not. Some are potential sources of illness and diseases. The hands can easily pick them whether we are careful. In the first place, we don’t know if something is loaded with unsafe germs or not. Because we use the hands for holding, it is next to impossible not to get in contact with germs through our hands.  

As the hands carry germs, it can spread the germs to others. Come to think of it, we are afraid to touch the faucets in public restrooms but somehow, we are not afraid to shake other people’s hands. Viruses can be contacted by a handshake. In fact, human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer can be contacted by the simple gesture of hand holding.

Right now, health authorities are spearheading a campaign not to cough in the hands but to cough in the arm. Coughing through the hands is not a sanitary by all means.

Like it or not, germs are everywhere and the hands are vulnerable because they come in contact with everything. The best thing we can do is to make sure we wash our hands. Hand washing is a conscientious thing to do. It is our personal as well as social responsibility. When we wash our hands, we protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our community.