How Often Should I Wash My Hands?

To get the most antibacterial benefit from your handwashing experience, wash your hands:

• Whenever your hands are visibly soiled
• After touching bare human body parts other than clean hands and the exposed part of clean arms
• After using the toilet, even when in your own home
• After coughing, sneezing or wiping your nose with a handkerchief, tissue or your hand
• Before and after food preparation
• Between working with raw foods then ready-to-eat foods
• After using tobacco, eating or drinking
• After any activity that dirties the hands

COPD exacerbation can lead to further disability and even death. By implementing a simple, yet effective handwashing program into your daily life, you can help lower your risk of respiratory infection and reduce your chances of COPD exacerbation.

Source:

Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) 2006. Available from: http://www.goldcopd.org.

• preventing infections
• preventing copd exacerbation
• handwashing techinques
• handwashing frequency
• when to wash hands