Wash Your Hands!

A trip to a recent PGA tour event prompted some impromptu research in personal hygiene.   While waiting in line inside a small men's restroom, I couldn't help but notice that half the men washed their hands after leaving the stall and half did not. My observation played out in more than one trip to the facilities. YUCK!  

Think about it.  If my statistics bear out and I think they do----50% of the men who left that restroom and used the public ketchup, mustard, and relish dispensers in the concessions area did not wash their hands.  Now that will make you think twice about loading up your hot dog.  Half the men who shook hands with a golf pro inside in the ropes (and many did between holes), or gave the pro a pen to autograph their pairing sheet or yardage book did not wash their hands.  Half the men who held a door open, or touched a seat on the shuttle buses to the parking area did not wash their hands.  Okay, I think you get the idea.  

From the 2006 Minnesota Department of Health's "Hand-washing Toolkit" come these statistics:  American Society of Microbiology studies showed

• 97% of females and 92% of males say they wash
  • of these only 75% females and 58% males washed
• 50% of middle and high school students say they wash
  • of these 33% of females and only 8% of males used soap while washing hands

In this day and age when every public restroom has a little sticker on the mirror, or wall stating that employees are to wash their hands, it's hard to believe there are still people who choose to consciously spread their filthy germs.  It's either arrogance or ignorance.  I'm guessing it's more of the former and less of the latter.  

Statistics repeatedly show that women are better about this matter than men. Now here's a scary thought, what if these statistics are the same for employees in the food industry?  Even if it's 25% better, that would mean there are 25% of the males serving and preparing food who aren't washing their hands after going to the restroom, eating, smoking, drinking or wiping a sweaty brow.  Ugh.  Makes you want to run out and order a meal doesn't it? 

Hand washing is one of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of dangerous germs that can cause influenza, diarrhea, and a host of other health concerns.  It's simple and takes very little time.  Guys, it's time to pony up to the sink and use the soap dispenser and wash.  If the swine flu or bird flu ever becomes a pandemic we will wish we had done a better job in this area.  No this isn't the rant of an obsessive compulsive.  However, it is a rant for children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with cancer, or conditions with a compromised immune system.  It's time we all took this simple, thoughtful, self-less task more seriously.  Someone's life or health is depending on it.