Your Health Is In Your Hands: WASH

When to Wash

Hands should always be washed BEFORE:

touching eyes, nose and mouth
inserting or removing contact lenses
preparing food
eating

Hands should always be washed AFTER:

using the toilet
coughing, sneezing or using a tissue
eating, drinking or smoking
touching cuts, burns or infected areas on the skin
handling raw meat and poultry
changing diapers
touching animals
touching public surfaces like door handles, gas pumps, shopping carts, etc.

Wash Your Hands

Washing hands is the most important and easiest action we can take to prevent getting sick and spreading illness.

Frequent and proper hand washing kills the germs that cause:

gastro-intestinal illnesses, such as norovirus and E. coli
influenza
the common cold
Strep throat
Staph infection
pink eye
many other diseases

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a good alternative when soap and water are not available to wash hands.

Find out HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS THE RIGHT WAY

ALWAYS cover your coughs and sneezes the proper way!

Hand Washing Materials

The Health Department's public education campaign: Your Health is In Your Hands: WASH promotes proper hand washing with educational materials; and hand washing education at health fairs and other community events. Call the Health Department for more information at 703-246-2411, TTY 703-591-6435.

Big hand on cover of Pamphlet -Wash your Hands