According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ，适当的手卫生对于降低传染病的传播至关重要。

In fact, research has shown that handwashing lowers the rates of certain respiratory and gastrointestinal infections up to23 and 48 percent, respectively.

According to the CDC, washing your hands frequently is particularly important to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease known as新冠肺炎。

在本文中，我们将研究正确洗手的关键步骤，以确保它们没有可能引起严重感染的细菌。

以下是CDC和世界卫生组织（WHO）认可的七步洗手技术：

洗手的关键是确保您彻底清洁手，手指和手腕的所有表面和区域。

这是从中推荐的​​更详细的洗手步骤 WHO 。用水和肥皂弄湿手之后，跟随他们。

After you’ve completed these steps, you can rinse and dry your hands.

Plain soap is just as good at disinfecting your hands as over-the-counter antibacterial soaps. In fact,research发现抗菌肥皂在杀死细菌方面的效果不如常规的日常肥皂。

In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of the antibacterial agents triclosan and triclocarban. The reasons cited by the FDA for the ban of these agents included:

  • antibacterial resistance
  • 全身吸收
  • endocrine (hormone) disruption
  • allergic reactions
  • 总体无效

So, if you happen to have older bottles of antibacterial soap stocked away, it’s best not to use them. Throw them out, and just use regular soap instead.

Also, there’s no evidence to suggest that the water temperature makes a difference. According to one 学习 ，在温水中洗手似乎不会摆脱更多的细菌。

底线是,你是安全的se whatever water temperature is right for you, and use any regular liquid or bar soap you have on hand.

Washing your hands is particularly important when you’re in situations where you’re more likely to acquire or transmit germs. This includes:

  • before, during, and after you prepare food
  • before and after you:
    • consume foods or drinks
    • 暴露于感染性疾病的人
    • enter a hospital, doctor’s office, nursing home, or other healthcare setting
    • clean and treat a cut, burn, or wound
    • take medication, such as pills or eye drops
    • 使用公共交通，尤其是如果您触摸栏杆和其他表面
    • touch your phone or other mobile device
    • go to the grocery store
  • after you:
    • cough, sneeze, or blow your nose
    • 触摸明显的肮脏表面，或者手上有明显的污垢
    • handle money or receipts
    • have touched a gas pump handle, ATM, elevator buttons, or pedestrian crossing buttons
    • shake hands with others
    • 从事性或亲密活动
    • have used the bathroom
    • change diapers or clean bodily waste off others
    • 触摸或处理垃圾
    • 接触动物，动物饲料或浪费
    • 触摸肥料
    • 处理宠物食品或零食

Dry, irritated, raw skin频繁洗手可以增加感染的风险。对皮肤的损害会改变皮肤菌群。反过来，这可以使细菌更容易生存。

为了保持皮肤健康，同时保持良好的手卫生，皮肤专家建议以下技巧：

  • Avoid hot water, and use a moisturizing soap.Wash with cool or lukewarm water. Hot water isn’t more effective than warm water, and it tends to be more drying. Opt for liquid (instead of bar) soaps that have a奶油稠度并包括保湿成分，例如甘油。
  • Use skin moisturizers.Look forskin creams，软膏和香脂，可帮助防止水离开皮肤。这些包括配料的保湿剂：
    • occlusive，例如羊毛蛋白酸，胶囊/二烯甘油三酸酯，矿物油或鳞状
    • 保湿剂, such as lactate, glycerin, or honey
    • emollients，例如芦荟，二硫酸或异丙基霉菌酯
  • Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers that contain skin conditioners.Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with humectants help ease skin dryness, while emollients replace some of the water stripped by alcohol.

FDA通知

食品药品监督管理局（FDA）有 宣布 recalls of several hand sanitizers due to the potential presence of methanol.

Methanol is a toxic alcohol that can have adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, or headache, when a significant amount is used on the skin. More serious effects, such as blindness, seizures, or damage to the nervous system, can occur if methanol is ingested. Drinking hand sanitizer containing methanol, either accidentally or purposely, can be fatal. Seeherefor more information on how to spot safe hand sanitizers.

If you purchased any hand sanitizer containing methanol, you should stop using it immediately. Return it to the store where you purchased it, if possible. If you experienced any adverse effects from using it, you should call your healthcare provider. If your symptoms are life threatening, call emergency medical services immediately.

When handwashing isn’t feasible or your hands aren’t visibly soiled, disinfecting your hands withalcohol-based hand sanitizerscan be a viable option.

大多数酒精基洗手液都含有乙醇，异丙醇，N-丙醇或这些剂的混合物。这 最有效率 antimicrobial activity comes from alcohol solutions with:

  • 60％至85％的乙醇
  • 60％至80％的异丙醇
  • 60％至80％的N-丙醇

Ethanol seems to be the most effective against viruses, whereas propanols work best against bacteria.

基于酒精的手动消毒剂迅速有效地破坏了许多引起疾病的药物，包括：

A2017 study还发现，乙醇，异丙醇或两者都有效地杀死病毒病原体，例如：

像洗手一样，手洗手液的有效性取决于使用正确的技术。

To apply hand sanitizer properly, follow these steps:

  1. 在手掌中涂约3至5毫升（2/3至1茶匙）。
  2. 猛烈地擦拭，确保将产品摩擦在双手的整个表面和手指之间。
  3. 摩擦约25到30秒，直到您的手完全干燥。

Hand hygiene is a simple, low cost, evidence-based intervention that can help protect your health and the health of others.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments and community leaders worldwide have called for rigorous and collective efforts to improve public hygiene practices such as handwashing.

Although washing your hands with plain soap and clean, running water is the preferred method for hand hygiene, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol can also be an effective option.

Good hand hygiene isn’t a measure to be used only during pandemics and other disease outbreaks. It’s a time-tested intervention that needs to be practiced consistently and mindfully to have the greatest effect on individual, community, and global health.