NFID Urges Everyone to Put Their "Hands In" for Better Health on World Hand Hygiene Day
HEALTH & BEAUTY
Handwashing remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases,” said Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).
In recognition of World Hand Hygiene Day, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is reminding everyone to take a simple but powerful step to help protect their health: wash their hands. Through its national Hands In For Handwashing campaign, NFID is working to raise awareness about the importance of proper hand hygiene to help stop the spread of infectious diseases.
Fundamental Prevention Tool Remains Underutilized
"Handwashing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, yet too many people skip it when it matters most," said NFID Medical Director Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., MD. "The Hands In For Handwashing campaign reminds us that protecting our health, and the health of those around us, is literally in our hands."
The statement reflects persistent gaps between public health recommendations and actual behavior, particularly in high-risk contexts where transmission likelihood is elevated. The campaign aims to shift handwashing from episodic practice to consistent routine across diverse settings.
Evidence Base and Public Health Impact
About 80 percent of infectious diseases are spread by dirty hands. Routine handwashing can help reduce the spread of illnesses like C. diff, COVID-19, flu, hepatitis A, norovirus, and rotavirus. Experts estimate that if everyone consistently practiced proper hand hygiene, up to 1 million lives could be saved globally each year.
The breadth of pathogens addressed through hand hygiene underscores its role as a foundational rather than disease-specific intervention. The million-life estimate positions handwashing as among the highest-impact low-cost public health interventions available, particularly in resource-constrained settings where other preventive measures may be inaccessible.
Behavioral Gaps and Situational Inconsistency
Despite these benefits, handwashing is often inconsistent and situational. NFID survey data have shown that many people are more likely to wash their hands during cold and flu season, even though germs spread year-round. Others admit to forgetting or choosing not to wash their hands at key times, like after visiting a grocery store or healthcare setting such as a pharmacy, doctor's office, or hospital.
The seasonal pattern reflects misalignment between perceived risk and actual transmission dynamics. Healthcare settings represent particularly high-risk environments where handwashing compliance failures can expose vulnerable populations to healthcare-associated infections that may carry higher morbidity and mortality than community-acquired infections.
Five-Step Handwashing Protocol
NFID encourages everyone to follow these five key steps to wash hands effectively: wet your hands with clean, running water; lather with soap, including backs of hands, between fingers, and under nails; scrub for at least 20 seconds; rinse well under clean, running water; and dry using a clean towel or air dry.
If soap and water are not available, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer can help get rid of germs. NFID graphics show when and how to wash your hands, available at www.nfid.org/handwashing.
Healthcare Setting Requirements and Patient Safety
Hand hygiene is a cornerstone of infection prevention and control. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cleaning hands with soap can reduce illness and prevent the spread of infections, including respiratory and diarrheal diseases. In fact, proper handwashing can help prevent about 1 in 3 diarrheal illnesses and nearly 1 in 5 respiratory infections among children.
In healthcare settings, the stakes are even higher. Healthcare personnel may need to clean their hands up to 100 times during a single shift to protect patients and themselves from potentially life-threatening infections. The frequency requirement reflects the volume of patient contacts and potential exposure events that occur during clinical care delivery.
Campaign Call to Action
"Clean hands are fundamental to patient safety and public health," said Hopkins. "On World Hand Hygiene Day, we are reminded that this simple action remains one of the most powerful tools we have to stop the spread of infections."
NFID encourages everyone to join the Hands In For Handwashing movement by practicing proper hand hygiene and sharing the message with others. The peer influence component recognizes that handwashing behavior is partially socially determined, making community-level awareness campaigns effective at driving individual behavior change.
About the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
Founded in 1973, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases operates as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases across the lifespan. NFID has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and has earned a Platinum transparency seal from Candid/GuideStar. Additional information is available at www.nfid.org/handwashing.