Healthy Living: Local News
Morning Checkup: Wash Your Hands!
Story Updated: Sep 5, 2012
As school starts, it's important for children to remember the single most important thing they can do to help them keep from getting sick: wash their hands.
Kit Purington, certified infection preventionist, says it's important for everyone - especially kids - to wash their hands properly.
Saying the alphabet or singing "Happy Birthday" is a good way, she said, to help children keep track of how long they wash. She says 15 seconds is about right.
When you can't wash your hand, hand sanitizer is a good substitute and, in fact, kills more germs for a longer period of time than soap and water.
And, she says, it's not too early to starting thinking about flu season.
She says the Centers for Disease Control recommend a flu shot every year for everyone over 6 months old.
Go to SamaritanHealth.com for more information.
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