New Hand Hygiene Campaign Promotes Community Health to Reduce Illness and Infection

Proper handwashing and hand sanitizing can prevent one in five respiratory illnesses, such as colds or influenza

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Oct 15, 2019, 11:02 ET

ATLANTA, Oct. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing can prevent one in three cases of diarrhea and one in five respiratory infections, such as a cold or the flu. To improve community hand hygiene, the CDC Foundation collaborated with CDC's Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch to develop a new suite of handwashing materials that encourage adults to make handwashing and hand sanitizing a healthy habit, with special emphasis on parents and caregivers, people cooking at home, and people using public restrooms. The new materials—developed with support from Staples, GOJO and the CDC Foundation—include radio public service announcements (PSAs) in English; and posters, social media graphics, web banners and stickers in English and Spanish.

Available just in time for Global Handwashing Day on October 15, these materials promote proper hand hygiene in community settings to prevent transmission of illness and infection and improve community health. According to CDC, proper hand hygiene in communities reduces the number of people who get sick with diarrhea and respiratory illnesses such as colds, and reduces absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in school children.

"Many diseases and conditions are spread in the community due to poor hand hygiene," said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. "Our partnership with GOJO and Staples on this initiative is a great example of the power of partnerships in protecting public health through educational resources that help communities stay healthy."

The new materials are part of a new national campaign, Life is Better with Clean Hands, launched by CDC's Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch and the CDC Foundation with support from GOJO and Staples. "Despite widespread knowledge of the importance of handwashing, many people do not correctly wash their hands at key times as a way to protect their health," said Vince Hill, Ph.D., Chief of CDC's Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch. "More education is needed, and through this campaign, we want to remind everyone that good handwashing habits are critical for disease prevention."

The campaign is designed to motivate adults to make clean hands part of their daily lives and encourages parents and caregivers to be hand hygiene role models for the children in their lives. The campaign's health promotion materials raise awareness about the importance of handwashing at key times in both homes and public areas, such as before cooking or after using the bathroom.

"We know one of the most important measures to prevent illness and infection is effective hand hygiene," said Jim Arbogast, Ph.D., vice president of hygiene science and public health advancements, GOJO. "We believe that GOJO in partnership with the CDC, CDC Foundation and Staples, will improve the health of our communities through improved hand hygiene education."

"As leaders in the facilities and breakroom space, Staples knows how critical proper hand hygiene is in preventing illness, whether in the office, hospital or at school," said Brady Nunley, vice president, general merchandising manager, Staples. "The Life is Better with Clean Hands campaign will continue to educate adults, parents, and caregivers to prevent the spread of such illnesses and Staples is excited to work together with the CDC Foundation on this important initiative."

About The CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation helps the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) save and improve lives by unleashing the power of collaboration between CDC, philanthropies, corporations, organizations and individuals to protect the health, safety and security of America and the world. The CDC Foundation is the sole entity authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support CDC's critical health protection mission. Since 1995, the CDC Foundation has launched approximately 1,000 programs and raised over $800 million. The CDC Foundation managed nearly 300 CDC-led programs in the United States and in more than 130 countries last year. For more information, visit www.cdcfoundation.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About GOJO
GOJO, the inventor of PURELL® Hand Sanitizer, is the leading global producer and marketer of skin health and hygiene solutions for away-from-home settings. The broad GOJO product portfolio includes hand cleaning, handwashing, hand sanitizing, skin care formulas and surface sprays under the GOJO®, PURELL™ and PROVON® brand names. GOJO formulations use the latest advances in the science of skin care and sustainability. GOJO is known for state-of-the-art dispensing technology, engineered with attention to design, sustainability, and functionality. GOJO programs promote healthy behaviors for hygiene, skin care and compliance in critical environments. GOJO is a family enterprise headquartered in Akron, Ohio, with operations in the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and Canada. Learn more about GOJO.

ABOUT Staples
Staples is The Worklife Fulfillment Company™, helping businesses of all sizes be more productive, connected and inspired—however and wherever they work today. With dedicated account teams, category professionals, innovative brands and a curated product assortment for business, Staples provides customized solutions to help organizations achieve their goals. The company operates in North America through eCommerce and direct sales, and is headquartered near Boston, Massachusetts. More information about Staples is available at staples.com®.

SOURCE CDC Foundation