City hosts dry run for Global Handwashing record
15 October 2021
The City’s Environmental Health Service coordinated a handwashing event involving more than 5 000 learners today to mark Global Handwashing Day. Read more below:
The event was a dry run in preparation for 2022, when the Environmental Health Service hopes to be classified as an event to take on the current world record for the most people washing their hands simultaneously.
City Health had 5 050 learners at 70 venues, participating in their Global Handwashing Day event this morning.
‘Handwashing is such an important weapon in our fight against disease, as has been evident once more during the Covid-19 pandemic. Medical professionals have known since the 1800s that effective handwashing with soap and water is essential in disease prevention. It’s a simple act that has the potential to save your life, and those around you.
‘And that is why it is so crucial to instill good handwashing habits from a young age. Sadly, we live in a world where handwashing is not top of mind for many people, and there are many more who think that simply rinsing their hands with water is enough. But, the reality is that proper and effective handwashing requires a little more work, and that is what our Environmental Health Practitioners convey during hundreds of outreaches each year,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
Proper handwashing requires you to:
• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
City Health has been reinforcing good hand hygiene behaviour in young children across the city for many years and how to effectively wash hands is an integral part of the 362 hygiene outreaches that City Health has conducted between July and September this year.
It is vitally important to enforce life-long behaviours that can influence the health status of communities.
Global Handwashing Day is an international day to promote and motivate people around the world to improve their handwashing habits.
The 2021 international Global Hand Wash Day Theme is ‘Our Future is at Hand - let’s move Forward Together.’
‘Last December, a world record was set in India, where 1 024 persons washed their hands online at the same time. The City intends to beat this record, and our Global Handwashing event today was a step in the right direction. We are very excited to work towards this milestone in 2022, all while sharing effective handwashing methods with hundreds more young people in the lead up to our record attempt.
‘The City also calls on community members to engage with their families around the importance of hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as an effective and affordable way to prevent the spread of disease,’ added Councillor Badroodien.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
