As the UK watches for the next wave of Swine Flu, RSPH believes that, on Global Handwashing Day (15 October), we are still complacent about our standards of hygiene.

The advice to Catch It. Bin It. Kill It. has been widely publicised by the Department of Health, as the single most reliable way to avoid the spread of the H1N1 strain of flu this winter. The flu virus can live on hard surfaces for up to 24 hours and can be picked up on your hands and spread to other surfaces that you touch. Yet the RSPH believes that few adults, and even fewer children, follow the simple advice to wash and dry their hands properly.

Professor Richard Parish, Chief Executive of RSPH commented: “We are currently asking our members and visitors to our website to tell us whether they follow this simple advice. We suspect that very many do not.”

He adds “We know that hand washing and drying could prevent up to half of all acute respiratory infections in this country, and that in turn could save up to £80 million on annual GP consultations. ”

Poor hygiene practices mean that millions of people are harbouring germs on their hands because they have not washed and dried their hands properly after sneezing, coughing or blowing their nose. These germs can be spread to other people by shaking hands, or to surfaces which other people touch, such as door handles, telephones or keyboards. Wet hands pick up more germs than dry ones, and transfer them more readily, so drying hands is just as important as washing them with soap and hot water.

To take part in our survey, and to find more information about the importance of hand hygiene click here.