Pupils learn importance of washing hands
City’s health officials Aseza Lucando, left, and Loretta Qakamfana, right, show Grade R pupils, Nurah Botha, Rohaan Payne and Taheer Abrajee how to wash their hands thoroughly.
City health officials demonstrated the importance of thorough hand-washing to primary-school children last week.
The officials visited Rondebosch East Primary School on Friday October 15, Global Handwashing Day.
Aseza Lucando, from the City’s Silvertown environmental health office, said it handwashing stopped the spread of germs and offered protection against Covid-19.
All the Grade R and Grade 1 pupils were taught the important hygiene tips:
- Remove jewellery, wet hands with warm water.
- Add soap to palms.
- Rub hands together to create a lather.
- Cover all the surfaces of hands and fingers.
- Clean knuckles, back of hands and fingers.
- Clean the space between the thumb and index finger.
- Work the fingertips into the palm to clean under the fingernails.
- Rinse hands under warm running water.
- Dry with a single-use towel, then use the towel to turn off the tap.
Trevor Turner, the school’s deputy principal, said the health officials’ visit reinforced what the school already taught the children. “It can help to break the cycle of the virus, and handwashing is one of the ways to break the cycle of the virus.”
