Handwashing Facts

As well as being potentially life threatening, it is estimated that healthcare acquired infections cost the NHS around £1 billion every year. 
        
If everyone washed their hands regularly throughout the day the risk of colds and flu would
be reduced.

Around half of all men and a quarter of women fail to wash their hands after they've been to the toilet.

We have between 2 and 10 million bacteria between our fingertips and elbows.

The number of germs on your fingertips doubles after you use the toilet.

Germs can stay alive on our hands for up to three hours.

Millions of germs hide under our watches and bracelets. There could be as many germs under your ring as there are people in Europe!

Germs can be passed from patient to patient from the hands of staff, visitors and other patients. It is this transfer of germs that can cause infections and illness.

Correct hand washing is the best defence we have in preventing infections from spreading and can help save lives!

Germs can live for weeks and can be picked up by the next person who touches the
same object.

Every year, more than 164 million school days are lost due to illness. It is estimated
that a great number of these days could be reduced if children merely washed their
hands regularly.

There are more germs on a computer keyboard than there are on your toilet.