The Nevada State Health Division in Carson City announced Hugh Gallagher Elementary School in Virginia City as the winner of a logo contest for its statewide hand washing campaign, “Hey Nevada, Wash Your Hands!”
The winning logo will serve as part of the campaign’s identity, and will be incorporated into various campaign media. The second place entry was a tie between Yerington Elementary School and L.S. Bruner Elementary in North Las Vegas.
All fourth grade classes in Nevada were invited to develop a hand washing logo. The competitive process invited each school to submit their favorite logo developed by one of their fourth grade classes. Prize money, $1,500 for first place, and $1,000 to the runners up, goes to the winning schools.
The first place Hugh Gallagher Elementary School team was led by teacher Mrs. Saffen. The second place Yerington team was led by teacher Mrs. Peterson.
The winning logo from Saffen’s fourth grade class in Virginia City depicted a colorful, wide-eyed spongebob-like cartoon figure in the shape of the state of Nevada, happily engaged in foamy hand washing.
Recently, the Global Hygiene Council, a group of leading health and hygiene experts from around the world, reiterated that proper hygiene plays a critical role in the preventing the spread of illness. Hygiene Council members recommended: “Wash your hands often with soap and water. When someone is home sick, hand washing is one of the best ways to break the chain of infection.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says that it is especially important to wash one’s hands:
— Before, during and after preparing food
— Before eating food
— After using the toilet, changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
— Before and after caring for someone who is sick
— After blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing
— After touching an animal or animal waste
— After handling garbage
— Before and after treating a cut or wound
The CDC instructs the correct way to wash hands:
— Wet your hands with clean, running water and apply soap.
— Rub your hands together to form lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.
— Continue rubbing your hands together at least seconds. How long is that? Hum the song “Happy Birthday” from beginning to end twice.
— Rinse your hands well under running water.
— Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
While hand washing with soap and water is the best way to reduce the number of germs on them, when soap and water are not available, there are options. When necessary, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but hand sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs. Further, hand sanitizers are not effective when hands are visibly dirty.