Mrs. Petrucci, our school nurse, does a great job teaching kids the 'hand washing song'! As an elementary school, germs and bugs are readily spread through classrooms and school. This March seems to be a prime month for colds, flu and other contagious conditions, so a video called "Brush Up on Hygiene" is a nice visual to remind and educate students about the importance of some basic skills.
Many students may already know that germs are microscopic living things that can cause illnesses. However, they may not understand how germs are related to other aspects of hygiene—such as contagious illnesses like conjunctivitis or the common cold. Students need to understand that they can play a large role in maintaining their own health. They can reduce their risk of being sick in many simple daily ways: they can wash their hands with warm water and soap often, avoid sharing anything that goes into their bodies, eat healthy foods, get enough rest and exercise and have regular checkups.
Studies have shown that the simple act of washing our hands with soap and water reduces a person’s chances of contracting a cold or flu virus. Similarly, by sneezing into a tissue, we can reduce the number of active germs on a surface by 80 to 90 percent. Such basic practices are essential for all people to learn and implement in their daily lives.
The program Brush Up on Hygiene was developed to raise awareness, expand knowledge and assist young people in the identification and understanding of disease prevention and proper hygiene. The animated germs help get the point across in an engaging manner, and we hope that all our students can do their best to stay healthy all year!
