According to The Straits Times, masks are now required for anyone going out, and safe distancing measures are in full swing, but good handwashing remains a cornerstone of the coronavirus fight.
According to a study done by The Straits Times, doing this completely with soap makes a significant difference. When compared to simply rinsing your hands with water, it can lower the quantity of germs picked up on your hands by 45 percent.
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Even as the multi-ministerial task team fighting Covid-19 announced yesterday that masks are now required for anyone leaving the house, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong emphasized the significance of personal hygiene, especially during this era of increased safe distance.
Using soap got a score of 26, which is deemed clean, and the hands were stain-free. (Photo / Retrieved from the Pixabay)
"I will continue to encourage Singaporeans to wash their hands and practice good personal hygiene, which is a vital aspect in breaking the transmission chain," he said.
The Straits Times says, a seven-step technique that covers the base of one's palms to the tip of one's fingers is an effective approach to wash hands, and it should take about the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.
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ST collaborated with professional cleaning firm Cleaning Express to examine how easily germs may accumulate on hands after touching common surfaces and how regular hand washing can help to eliminate these germs, which include bacteria and viruses like Covid-19.
The first person in the experiment handled various surfaces with unwashed hands. The goods were then touched by two more people.
The results were eye-opening: using only water yielded a cleanliness score of 47, indicating that the person's hands remained dirty, and that the UV light emphasized visible stains.
The Straits Times mentions, in comparison, the person who used soap got a score of 26, which is deemed clean, and her hands were stain-free. Her hands, however, were not completely germ-free.
"Since viruses require physical flushing and soap detergent to break down their structure, normal soap will suffice - as long as we follow the seven-step hand-washing method," said the infectious diseases expert Leong Hoe Nam.
