Most people wash their hands every day, but research suggests that very few do it the right way or often enough. A study in the Journal of Environmental Health found that only about 5% of people wash their hands thoroughly enough to actually remove harmful germs.
The technique matters as much as the habit itself. Soap needs to reach every surface of both hands, and the entire process should take at least 20 seconds. That small investment of time turns out to be one of the most powerful tools in public health.
From stomach bugs to respiratory infections, many of the illnesses that send people to the doctor each year are preventable with good hand hygiene. Here are 15 of them. Let’s take a look.