As the nation braces for the dual start of school and flu season -- and of course the looming specter of the H1N1 virus -- a new survey has found that many Americans are not washing their hands any more frequently since swine flu headlines began hitting the news. As many as 54 percent of the 1,020 people surveyed said they “wash their hands no more frequently” in public bathrooms since learning about swine flu. And 55 percent admitted that they’ve occasionally only rinsed with water, without using soap to wash their hands, in the nationwide survey by Bradley Corporation, a commercial bathroom and locker room furnishings manufacturer.
Since flu viruses, including the H1N1 virus, are killed through proper hand washing and use of alcohol-based sanitizers, experts say hand washing is an important way to help fight the flu. Now that kids are going back to school, it’s time to remind them and ourselves to be vigilant about hand washing.
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