Burgess Health Center Public Health Reminds Residents Soap & Water is Best
Burgess Health Center Public Health and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) remind residents that the three primary ways to prevent illness and its spread, including the virus that causes COVID-19, are simple and easy:
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow/upper arm.
- Clean hands frequently with soap and water; if soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Contain the spread of germs by staying home when ill.
Some residents have noted the availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is limited in some places. “This should not be a reason for undue concern,” said Burgess Health Center Public Health Director Erin Brekke. “Hand sanitizers are convenient and effective, but we want everyone to remember that good old soap and water is still the best way to prevent illness.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following steps for effective hand-washing:
- Wet your hands with clean, running (warm or cold) water, turn off the tap, and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the IDPH webpage at https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus and follow the department on Facebook at @IowaDepartmentOfPublicHealth and on Twitter at @IAPublicHealth.