National Handwashing Awareness Week (NHAW) started in Cincinnati, OH, in 1999 as a response to a flu vaccine shortage. There was a community coalition with the Health Collaborative, hospitals, health departments, health insurers, Discover Health, the Henry the Hand Foundation, and Will Sawyer, MD, that put together a region wide handwashing campaign with schools coloring contests and promotions on the TV and radio.
Heal celebrate NHAW by launching a social media campaign and creating an event in your community to educate people about the role hands play in the spread of infectious disease and how to prevent. Never underestimate how a few people can change the world!
Visit the Henry the Hand Foundation website to download posters and coloring books, in English and Spanish. You may make as many copies as needed for your event to “give” away.
Let’s prevent a “tripledemic” by teaching and empowering people that respiratory infection prevention is in their hands!
Thank you for helping to “spread the word not the germs”!