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H1N1 flu heightens awareness of importance of washing hands

SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF REPORT

Published: June 17, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - With the World Health Organization's recent declaration of a worldwide H1N1 flu pandemic as a background, the first such pronouncement in 41 years, area hospitals and schools are renewing a program to encourage people to wash their hands more frequently.

"Clean Hands Are Cool Hands" emphasizes how hand washing remains one of the first lines of defense against transmitting flu.

Community Hospital of New Port Richey, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point and Oak Hill Hospital in Hernando County continue promoting the program, according to Community spokeswoman Mary Sommise.

All three are part of HCA West Florida, a division of Hospital Corporation of America, based in Nashville, Tenn.

A free Clean Hands are Cool Hands coloring book is available by calling 1-877-4-HCA-DOCS.

Or go online to www.cleanhandsarecoolhands.com.

The national hand-washing campaign originally was designed to prevent the spread of community acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Sommise explained in a press release.

MRSA is a common yet highly contagious bacterium that frequently inhabit a person's skin or nostrils.

The hospitals of HCA West Florida and the HCA Foundation earlier in the school year kicked off the program with a public service announcement and interactive Web site.

Mitchel Musso from the hit Disney Channel show "Hannah Montana" helps educate kids and their parents on the importance of hand washing to prevent the spread of germs in schools.

Public health officials in Hernando and Pasco counties recently sent out warnings to all places where people congregate such as schools, department stores and factories and health care facilities as a result of the H1N1 flu outbreak.

Health care officials have advised the public to reduce close contact such as handshaking, hugging, and sharing of food utensils.

They have encouraged hand sanitizer or access to soap and water for employees, volunteers, and students to encourage regular hand cleaning.

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