Marla Ahlgrimm: Wash Your Hands, Even After The Pandemic

Marla AhlgrimmKeeping your hands free of germs and bacteria is one of the best things you can do to reduce your chances of contracting the coronavirus. However, according to Marla Ahlgrimm, there are many reasons to keep up with this crucial hygiene practice long after the pandemic has ended.

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that one way people get sick is because germs, such as the norovirus and Salmonella, are transferred from the hands to the face. If you use the restroom, for example, and do not wash your hands after, tiny particles of feces can easily enter into your bloodstream through your eyes, nose, and mouth. You can also experience germ transfer after touching a contaminated object.

It is not just for your own safety that handwashing is important. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that germs can spread not only from your hands to your face but also from you to other people. This is partly why social distancing protocols have been stressed so heavily since March.

To underscore the importance of handwashing, Marla Ahlgrimm cites the following statistics:

  • Up to 57% of gastrointestinal illnesses experienced by school-aged children could be eliminated with hygiene protocols.
  • Approximately 21% of colds and other mild respiratory illnesses are directly attributed to germs transfered by the hands.
  • In people with weakened immune systems, simple hand washing could reduce the number of diarrheal illnesses by up to 58%.

Marla AhlgrimmAccording to Marla Ahlgrimm, perhaps the most pressing reason for handwashing to remain at the forefront of people’s minds is that it can actually reduce antibiotic resistance. The fewer people who get sick, the less reliance on antibiotics. This can result in a healthier population over all and will help to ensure that antibiotics can continue to keep people healthy for generations to come.

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