Whoever thought we’d need a “National Handwashing Awareness Week” to draw attention to the fact that washing our hands is really important!

“It’s actually one of the most important things we can do to help us stay healthy,” JoEun Gilland, CBHA Mid Level Practitioner, said. “It’s our first line of defense. We should wash our hands when they are dirty and BEFORE eating; we should not cough or sneeze into our hands and above all, we should not touch our eyes, nose or mouth with our fingers.”

Prevention specialists state that the flu, flu-illness, common cold, conjunctivitis (eye infection), pharyngitis (sore throat), tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, streptococcus, TB and more are often caused by bacteria that enter our system via contaminated hands that have touched our eyes, nose or mouth. “We are never going to completely eliminate these behaviors; however, being aware of our hand movements will go a long way in keeping us healthier.”

There are also vaccinations available that boast our immune systems and make us less apt to get sick. “There is still time to get a flu shot,” Gilland said. “It takes two weeks for the flu vaccine to take effect. The type of vaccines needed vary from patient to patient depending on age and medical conditions,” Gilland concluded.

Patients who have questions about what vaccines they might need should check with their medical providers by calling CBHA at 509-488-5256.