Wash Your Hands!

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Lots of people have mentioned that they are washing their hands more often and more thoroughly than ever before. I can’t say that I have. But then, I’ve always been pretty diligent about washing my hands. I worked in food service while I was a college student and it was drilled into us that you wash your hands when you enter the kitchen and you wash your hands both in the restroom before returning to the kitchen AND again in the kitchen before resuming work. Then I had babies. My hands needed to be washed before picking up the baby. My hands needed to be washed after changing diapers. My hands needed to be washed in the bathroom and again when entering the kitchen to prepare food. In the winter, when the air is cold and dry “dishpan hands” are my normal state. Now, I wash my hands after I walk the dog, or handle any of the pets. I wash my hands when I come in from outside. I wash my hands after I wipe my nose (it’s allergy season...and my nose has a tendency to drip this time of year). Yesterday, I started tackling some of the yard work that needs to be done. I use a heavy pair of welding gloves (that I use around the fireplace in the winter) to pick up sticks and rake leaves, but when I pull weeds around my tender strawberry plants I am much more comfortable barehanded. There was absolutely no question when I stopped weeding for the day, that once again my hands needed to be washed. I have not been washing my hands more often than in the past. I will admit, though, that I touch my face far more often than I ever realized.