Jurong East shoppers get hands-on hygiene tips
How clean do you think your hands are after you have washed them?
Patrons of Yuhua Village Market in Jurong East found out yesterday, as part of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital's hand hygiene community outreach initiative.
Held from 8.30am to 11.30am, the programme targeted shoppers and hawkers to raise awareness about the importance of hand hygiene. It was held in conjunction with World Hand Hygiene Day, which was marked last Saturday.
Studies show that washing one's hands can help reduce the likelihood of contracting gastrointestinal diseases and respiratory infections.
It is an essential health practice people need to adopt, said Dr Surinder Pada, director of infectious diseases and chairman of the hospital's infection control team.
She said: "Hand hygiene is one of those public health measures that can make a big impact."
Shoppers and hawkers were shown the correct hand-washing method by the hospital's infection control team.
To test their knowledge, they had to apply a rub with special fluorescent dye before washing.
If their washing was up to the mark, the surfaces of their hands would glow under ultraviolet light. The areas that were not cleaned properly would remain as dark patches.
Madam Guo Kok, 69, had worked in a coffee shop before and knew hand-washing techniques.
"Sometimes people are set in their ways, so public events like this remind people that hand washing is something to be taken seriously."
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