Why Wash Hands

• With COVID-19, those 65 years of age or older are most vulnerable, accounting for 80% of deaths.³
• Healthcare providers are responsible for not passing germs to their patients. Most healthcare-associated infections are spread by direct contact from providers.
• Parents and caretakers play a crucial role in teaching children to wash their hands, helping create a life long habit.

Germs in respiratory droplets from your nose and mouth can land on surfaces that others commonly touch. 

• The novel coronavirus virus can remain in the air for 3 hours within a controlled laboratory setting.¹⁴ 
• At any time, 1 out of 2 healthy persons have Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (‘staph’) living in or on their nasal passages, throats, hair, or skin.²

Coughing & Sneezing Etiquette How to Protect Yourself

Germs from your unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while you prepare or consume them. Germs can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, table tops or toys, remain viable up to several days, and then transferred to others’ hands.

Novel coronavirus can survive:¹⁴

• up to 4 hours on copper,
• up to 24 hours on cardboard
• up to 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel

Flu virus can survive:¹

• up to 2 days on plastic and stainless steel
• up to 12 hours on cloth, paper and tissues