Clean hands challenge, what the fuck is this about?

[NineInchNails]

So in two weeks time at work we will be having someone come in to do a clean hands challenge. My understanding is that this involves showing us how dirty our hands actually are using some machine.
Firstly, why bother? we have so much work to do, what on earth is the point?
Secondly, I probably have germy hands, I don't use anti bacterial anything! Gels, kitchen sprays nothing. The last time I was sick from work was two years ago and both my kids have not been off this year and only one of them once last year.
I think it's all ridiculous, dirt is good! Anyone with me or am I just a filthy cow

I think the type of job you do will influence how much I care about how clean your hands are!

Yeah, do you work in sales or intensive care?

I really hope you don't work in the medical profession. Or the food industry. Dirt isn't particularly good.

Well I am in health care and poor hand hygiene is the main cause of spread of infections. In winter this is more serious.
Just learn it and do it

I don't work in a hospital setting of any sort. Or food industry. I work in an office. My point is that I know people who use these sprays and gels all the time and they are always ill. Maybe that is why they use them I suppose, just not sure we are getting it right.

Coming from someone with severe OCD about germs, if it is purely for educational purposes i think it's pointless.
The people involved are very unlikely to change their habits. In this day and age the "threat of germs" is documented everywhere, so if they don't already wash, it's by choice, not ignorance.
Unless you're working in an industry that deals with food, etc where you need to be hygienic and there's the possibility of actual dismissals for those not following specific cleanliness goals and regular testing, but it doesn't sound like it.

I can tell you that is a myth.
Since the NHS implemented hand hygiene rules in a hard way, HCAI (hospital aquired infections) have dropped dramatically.
It's good sense for the healthy to protect the vulnerable (elderly, immune system vulnerable) by practising good hand hygiene

What do you work at,?
And, can you opt out and just volunteer someone else?

I don't mind doing it, I just think it seems a little pointless. I'll let you know how germy I was

Coming to show how dirty our hands are...

Nothing like this sort of thing to get my germ OCD and anxiety well and truly on edge. Must calm down.. must calm down.

What do you wipe your kitchen work tops down with?!

I would just opt out. I use soap and hot water after I've been to the toilet, or prepped raw meat. I also wash my hands after eating.

The last time I had an upset stomach was nearly 4 years ago and my children have a similar resilience. The last time we had a vomit in this house was due to concussion (and we went straight to A&E). And that was February.

Ok the way I see it is that you don't know about people's families. Someone might look after or live with someone vulnerable. So if we all prevent the spread of germs we are helping each other

The fact is over prescription of anti biotic is the cause of resistant infections: hand hygiene just stops the spread

If it's like the clean hands challenge DD did at a science festival it doesn't show how dirty your hands are but how well you wash them. DD had to rub hand cream with UV active ink in it on her hands, then wash them then put them under a UV light and it showed up the bits she hadn't washed properly. It was quite interesting and only took about five minutes.

If it'suits the Glitter bug machine, it's a lotion that you apply to your hands and then you wash them. Then you look at your hands under a UV light to see where the lotion remains, ie where you missed washing.
Hand washing seems like something everyone should know how to do, but not many know how to do it properly. My mother is a director of infection control and has to literally teach doctors how to wash their hands.

sorry, *it's

Agree, the point isn't about anti-bac it's about hand washing technique

We had this at the school I work in last year to teach the children how to correctly wash their hands. No idea why they came; the children probably don't wash their hands any more thoroughly than they did before the visit.

I'm not funny about germs at all but am super-strict about hand washing with soap at school and at home. The DCs are ill perhaps once a year and never have d&v type bugs. The whole disinfecting everything thing is not for me. Working in a school I probably come into all sorts of germs each day, immunity is good so long as you practise proper hygiene.

Thumbs. No one remembers the thumbs

Oh okay. Will look forward to checking my technique then! I spray surfaces with a kitchen cleaner but it's not an anti bacterial one. My kids have not had antibiotics either. Maybe we are just resilient anyway but I do think it helps to build up an immune system by not eliminating every single germ.
I take the point regarding the vulnerable and some of my colleagues are out of the office supporting rough sleepers amongst others.

You can wipe your kitchen with hot soapy water and it would be as good as anti bac.

Anti bac is no good against viruses which cause most illnesses like colds,the flu and the noro.

Hand washing is very important! With soap and water.

I'm going to remember the thumbs ! I won't tell my colleagues about the thumbs either and then I'll win!

I think with hands it's about what you touch that others touch and protecting others that don't have your immunity - that's the message. Your own home is your choice but public areas you are doing your part for society by reducing risks and therefore the need for antibiotics etc

Also wrists!!

Thanks