Latest news with #NFID
CBC
28-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
It takes more than a pandemic to make good handwashing habits stick
You've likely let your handwashing habit slide as the pandemic moved out of the spotlight. Jason Tetro doesn't like it, but he understands. The Canadian microbiologist and handwashing evangelist said the COVID-19 health crisis helped focus people's minds on proper hand hygiene, but even as early March 2020 he was predicting a backslide once the immediate threat of a new virus faded. Surveys on handwashing trends suggest Tetro was right. "I feel vindicated, but at the same time it's really depressing," he said. Tetro, who wrote The Germ Cod e and The Germ Files, said high-touch surfaces like door handles, shared office equipment and cellphones still carry the risk of microbes, so people should wash their hands or at least use sanitizer after touching them. "Unfortunately, a lot of people simply are choosing not to do that because they don't think that there's any COVID there, so they're not going to do it anymore," he said. A pre-pandemic study from the International Journal of Epidemiology yielded the nauseating statistic that only about 51 per cent of people in wealthy countries with greater access to handwashing facilities wash their hands with soap after "potential fecal contact." While there hasn't been a comparable study, a recent National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) survey in the U.S. found 48 percent of adults admitted to forgetting or choosing not to wash their hands at key moments, like after visiting grocery stores, restaurants or health-care facilities. While the methodology used in that survey was different, you might take some relief from the fact that 69 per cent of American adults reported they wash their hands after using the bathroom. But even after the world ground to a halt over a contagious respiratory virus, only one-third report washing their hands with soap after coughing or sneezing. The NFID's campaign says handwashing can help prevent 80 per cent of infectious disease. That message was amplified with signage, social media posts and hand sanitizing stations during the pandemic, but Tetro said it's now common to find those hand sanitizing dispensers empty. "Those nudges were fantastic during the pandemic, but when you take those nudges away you're inadvertently saying that maybe hand hygiene isn't important anymore," he said. "If you're not going to fill them, then take them off the walls." A Canadian survey in 2021 reported more than 90 percent of participants were washing their hands more frequently due to the pandemic, with 63 percent strongly agreeing with that statement. A hospital's handwashing helper Even health-care workers weren't immune from waning hand hygiene, according to a study of Ontario hospitals published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Tetro said more recent studies have shown a net improvement among health professionals. To shore up those gains, The Ottawa Hospital's Civic campus is using 3D imaging sensors installed in the ceiling of their transitional care ward to keep up those nudges, and it's led to a sustained increase in handwashing. The artificially intelligent monitoring systems (AIMS) platform has been programmed to recognize proper handwashing technique. "There's a light, it's that reminder and it just triggers something in your brain," said Sybile Delice-Charlemagne, clinical manager in the hospital's transitional care unit where the "nodes" have been installed for nearly six months. "As I'm washing my hands, I wait for the light to turn green." The nodes are networked to track handwashing as busy staff move from room to room, allowing them to scrub with sanitizer while they walk. "They have an abundance of things to do," said Scott Delaney, CEO of Lumenix, the Ottawa-based company behind AIMS. "Our ability to provide assistance along the way is what is providing that sustained change," he said. Delaney said the system has dramatically slowed potentially deadly outbreaks wherever it's installed. "We've been able to decrease hospital-acquired infections or outbreaks in the wards we're installed [in] by greater than 90 per cent, as well as deliver a 41 per cent increase in hand-hygiene compliance," said Delaney. Delaney said the technology will soon be adopted by the McGill University Health Centre, and will be expanded at The Ottawa Hospital — all while preserving the privacy and anonymity of the people it monitors.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
4 biggest handwashing mistakes that could increase germs and viruses
Proper handwashing could save a million lives a year, according to an expert — and yet many people are doing it improperly, often due to misconceptions surrounding the practice. Doctors recommend washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. The NFID 2025 State of Handwashing Report, recently released by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, provides details on Americans' handwashing habits (and mistakes). Why Your Laundry Could Be Making You Sick And What To Do About It The report is based on a survey of 3,587 U.S. adults, conducted in November and December 2024 and March 2025. Robert Hopkins Jr., MD, medical director of NFID in Maryland, spoke to Fox News Digital about what Americans are doing wrong when it comes to handwashing. Read On The Fox News App "We have to recognize that there are a number of important infections that hand sanitizers are not effective at preventing," Hopkins said. One example is norovirus, a highly contagious stomach virus that is common on cruise ships and is also spread seasonally. The virus cannot be killed with hand sanitizer, but is "easily destroyed" with soap and water, according to Hopkins. A Common Killer Bug Is Endangering Americans: 'Pandemic In Plain Sight' Certain viruses are "encapsulated" and can be destroyed with either soap and water or hand sanitizer, the expert said. However, there is also an "unencapsulated" type of virus, which has an outer coat that does not break down from the alcohol in hand sanitizer. Using soap and water is a more effective way to kill the germs, the doctor noted. When people cough or sneeze into their sleeve, they could still spread germs afterward. "If you cough into your sleeve … go ahead and wash your hands with soap and water as well," Hopkins advised. Common Medical Test Linked To 5% Of Cancers, Study Suggests: 'Use Them Wisely' "We also have to recognize that we often bring our hands up close to our face, touch our nose, our glasses, other parts of our face," noted the doctor, who is based in Arkansas. "If we have bacteria or viruses on our hands, we can introduce them into our mucous membranes, where we can get infections." The NFID report stated that one in four respondents washed their hands more frequently in the fall and winter, when cold and flu are prevalent. "The seasonal variance is understandable given that some respiratory diseases, including flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), tend to peak during fall and winter," the report stated. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "However, other germs — like those that cause colds, norovirus and other infectious diseases — can spread throughout the year. It is important to maintain proper hand hygiene all year round to help stay healthy." Most adults wash their hands after using the bathroom (69%), handling food (48%) and handling human or animal waste (39%), according to NFID's report. Only 30% of respondents, however, reported that they are likely to wash their hands after sneezing or coughing. Nearly half of survey respondents admitted to forgetting or choosing not to wash their hands at key times, like after visiting a grocery store, restaurant, doctor's office, pharmacy, clinic or hospital. "We need to reinforce the importance of this simple tool," Hopkins said of handwashing. "I think most of the public health campaigns around hand hygiene have been focused on healthcare settings," he added. Regarding handwashing as a practice in general, Hopkins emphasized, "We need to bring this back into the fold." For more Health articles, visit "If everybody washed their hands more consistently, we could probably save somewhere in the neighborhood of a million lives a year."Original article source: 4 biggest handwashing mistakes that could increase germs and viruses
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Health
- Fox News
4 biggest handwashing mistakes that could increase germs and viruses
Proper handwashing could save a million lives a year, according to an expert — and yet many people are doing it improperly, often due to misconceptions surrounding the practice. Doctors recommend washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to reduce the spread of infectious diseases. The NFID 2025 State of Handwashing Report, recently released by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, provides details on Americans' handwashing habits (and mistakes). The report is based on a survey of 3,587 U.S. adults, conducted in November and December 2024 and March 2025. Robert Hopkins Jr., MD, medical director of NFID in Maryland, spoke to Fox News Digital about what Americans are doing wrong when it comes to handwashing. "We have to recognize that there are a number of important infections that hand sanitizers are not effective at preventing," Hopkins said. One example is norovirus, a highly contagious stomach virus that is common on cruise ships and is also spread seasonally. The virus cannot be killed with hand sanitizer, but is "easily destroyed" with soap and water, according to Hopkins. Certain viruses are "encapsulated" and can be destroyed with either soap and water or hand sanitizer, the expert said. However, there is also an "unencapsulated" type of virus, which has an outer coat that does not break down from the alcohol in hand sanitizer. Using soap and water is a more effective way to kill the germs, the doctor noted. When people cough or sneeze into their sleeve, they could still spread germs afterward. "If you cough into your sleeve … go ahead and wash your hands with soap and water as well," Hopkins advised. "We also have to recognize that we often bring our hands up close to our face, touch our nose, our glasses, other parts of our face," noted the doctor, who is based in Arkansas. "If we have bacteria or viruses on our hands, we can introduce them into our mucous membranes, where we can get infections." The NFID report stated that one in four respondents washed their hands more frequently in the fall and winter, when cold and flu are prevalent. "The seasonal variance is understandable given that some respiratory diseases, including flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), tend to peak during fall and winter," the report stated. "However, other germs — like those that cause colds, norovirus and other infectious diseases — can spread throughout the year. It is important to maintain proper hand hygiene all year round to help stay healthy." Most adults wash their hands after using the bathroom (69%), handling food (48%) and handling human or animal waste (39%), according to NFID's report. "We need to reinforce the importance of this simple tool." Only 30% of respondents, however, reported that they are likely to wash their hands after sneezing or coughing. Nearly half of survey respondents admitted to forgetting or choosing not to wash their hands at key times, like after visiting a grocery store, restaurant, doctor's office, pharmacy, clinic or hospital. "We need to reinforce the importance of this simple tool," Hopkins said of handwashing. "I think most of the public health campaigns around hand hygiene have been focused on healthcare settings," he added. Regarding handwashing as a practice in general, Hopkins emphasized, "We need to bring this back into the fold." For more Health articles, visit "If everybody washed their hands more consistently, we could probably save somewhere in the neighborhood of a million lives a year."
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Kids infected with measles face long-term health consequences, but one thing can prevent all of them
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Measles kills between 1 and 3 out of every 1,000 children infected with the viral disease. But even for those who survive the illness, the long-term consequences of measles can be serious. Long after a person recovers from their acute infection, their immune system is compromised — and in rare cases, the measles virus can hide out in the nervous system, roaring back to cause a fatal disease years later. In the short term, measles, caused by a highly contagious virus, usually causes fever, respiratory symptoms like coughing, and a distinctive rash that spreads from the hairline down the body. It appears as if a "bucket of rash" is poured over the head, according to Patsy Stinchfield, an infectious disease nurse practitioner and the most recent past president of the non-profit National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID). Because the two-shot measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles, many U.S.-based medical professionals have never seen the disease that's now causing a major outbreak in Texas and bordering states, experts told Live Science. Cases have been so low in the U.S. that measles was declared eliminated from the country in 2000. However, Stinchfield responded to a 2017 measles outbreak in Minnesota and saw multiple kids affected. "The kids that come into the emergency room and get to go home, even those kids look like rag dolls over their parents' shoulders," Stinchfield told Live Science. "They're miserable." Related: Are you protected against measles? Do you need a booster shot? Everything you need to know about immunity An estimated 1 out of every 5 kids who catch measles will be hospitalized, and 1 in 20 will get pneumonia, which is what kills most children who die of the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some of these hospitalized children will need to be put on a ventilator to recover, Stinchfield said. In about 1 in 1,000 cases, measles causes brain swelling, or encephalitis, which can cause seizures. When it's not fatal, the swelling itself can subside, but it can cause permanent brain damage and other lasting side effects, such as blindness or deafness. Even patients with milder cases of measles can suffer long-term knock-on effects. Measles binds to a receptor that happens to be present on several important immune cells: T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and long-lived plasma cells. These are cells that "remember" past infections for decades, thus enabling the immune system to rapidly mount a defense if it encounters a pathogen again. It does this by making protective proteins called antibodies, along with summoning other immune defenders. But a 2019 study found that, after a measles infection, people lose between 11% and 73% of the antibodies they had to previous infections. To recover from this so-called immune amnesia, a person would have to catch all those diseases again, said Stephen Elledge, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School and the senior author of that 2019 research. In the meantime, that means they're vulnerable to a whole host of infections after contracting measles. Furthermore, a 2015 study led by Elledge's collaborator, epidemiologist Dr. Michael Mina, found that kids who got measles had a higher death rate from other infectious diseases in subsequent years. These infectious diseases, including measles, are the primary reason that nearly 1 in 5 children died before their fifth birthday in the U.S. back in 1900. A 2024 study published in The Lancet estimated that vaccination has saved at least 154 million lives since 1974, alone. "The vaccine is much more important than we thought it was," Elledge told Live Science. "It doesn't just save from the 0.1% or 0.2% of children that die [of measles]. It may be the 0.5% to 1% of the kids that get measles [and] might succumb to another infection. That starts to get a little bit bigger." The measles virus is capable of replicating in the brain, said Ross Kedl, a professor of immunology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. In some cases, the immune system beats the virus back and the person seems to recover, but measles still lurks in their nervous system. The nightmarish effect of this long-term persistence is a condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). This is a progressive neurological disorder that might start with mood changes and muscle tremors; then, as it progresses, the person starts losing speech, vision and hearing. After about two years, the person falls into a coma and dies. "The person you knew transforms in front of you and wastes away and then they're gone," Kedl told Live Science. The risk of SSPE is highest in kids who catch measles before the age of 2, at about 1 in 1,000, Kedl said. For older patients, the risk is closer to 1 in 10,000, which is still twenty times higher than the risk of serious side effects from any vaccine on the market, he said. (1 in 10,000 is 20 in a million, whereas serious adverse events from vaccines occur at a rate of roughly 1 to 2 per million, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.) Because SSPE is most common in kids who catch measles before age 2, and it tends to emerge about seven years after their acute infection, the victims are typically around the age of 9 or 10. SSPE happens because the measles virus can go dormant within the nervous system, similar to how the chickenpox virus — called varicella — can go dormant and cause shingles decades later. One benefit of the varicella vaccine is helping prevent the chickenpox infections that can lead to shingles down the line; similarly, the MMR vaccine prevents SSPE. The MMR vaccination has effectively cratered the annual number of U.S. measles cases — which totalled 3 million to 4 million before vaccines were introduced, according to the CDC. Because of the vaccine's success, people forget how bad the disease can be, said Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth, a medical system in Colorado. With vaccination rates sliding in various jurisdictions, there are now active measles outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico, Kansas and Ohio, with scattered cases in 16 other states, Barron told Live Science. There are also outbreaks in Mexico and Canada. It's important to be vaccinated to protect both yourself and those who can't be vaccinated, including babies under 1 year old, she said. RELATED STORIES —US measles outbreak tops 300 cases — what to know about the disease —'A political division, not a physical one, determined who got measles and who didn't': Lessons from Texarkana's 1970 outbreak —2nd measles death reported in US outbreak was in New Mexico adult There are no treatments for measles that can reduce the risk of the disease's knock-on complications, Barron said. The "natural" remedies that have been pushed by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and others, such as vitamin A, are not measles treatments. Rather, they are treatments for malnutrition that are often used to help support kids with measles in places with extreme poverty and childhood malnourishment, Barron said. What does cut the risk of knock-on effects of measles? Not catching the disease in the first place. "Vaccine is protective against all of these complications," Barron said. Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 3, 2025.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Stop making this handwashing mistake, eat shrimp and use the Pomodoro technique to clean up — plus 8 more tips to improve your health
Hello Yahoo Life readers! My name is Kaitlin Reilly, and I am here to share the best health and wellness tips from around the internet. This week, Kerry Justich spoke to American track and field Olympian Gabby Thomas, who spilled her wellness routine. This includes drinking coffee, which Thomas says is 'one of the first things I do every morning.' The athlete may not be ditching coffee anytime soon, but plenty of people are, whether that's due to caffeine jitters or digestive woes. The good news? There are some excellent coffee alternatives on the market. This week, I explored whether beanless brews and coffee blends — some of which are made with mushrooms or upcycled ingredients like date pits — are a good solution for when you're craving a pick-me-up that isn't a traditional cup of joe. While experts say there's no reason to ditch coffee if your body responds well to it, you could get some perks by sipping on these beverages, such as a brain boost from adaptogens like reishi. Take a peek at the local weather forecast and, if so inclined, peruse your horoscope to see what the stars have in store. Then check out what small steps you can take to make the week ahead great. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases just released its State of Handwashing report, which revealed that 48% of Americans are not washing their hands at key times. But some may not be aware of what those times even are. For example, while most Americans sudsed up after going to the bathroom and handling food (phew!), the NFID says that we should also be washing our hands after visiting food-centric places — like a grocery store, restaurant or coffee shop — as well as the doctor's office, pharmacy or hospital. These places have the potential to be particularly germy, and those germs can go from your hands into your mouth, eyes or nose and get you sick. An easy habit to stick with? Wash your hands every time you come home, and make sure you're doing it the right way: Scrub with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, making sure to get under your fingernails. Don't forget to properly dry your hands too; wet hands spread germs more easily. May 10 is National Shrimp Day, but there are a lot of reasons to eat this crustacean year-round. One big benefit of shrimp is that it's very low in calories while also being high in protein — a three-ounce serving has about 20 grams of protein. Plus, it also contains minerals like potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Want to get the best-tasting shrimp? While it may make dinner take a little longer to prepare due to the de-shelling process, buying shrimp that are still in their shells will deepen that umami flavor. It's already May, and you still haven't gotten around to spring cleaning? It's time to stop procrastinating. Yes, organizing your closets and filing 6 months' worth of random paperwork can feel overwhelming, but Apartment Therapy has a handy hack: Try cleaning with the Pomodoro technique, a method in which you work in focused 25-minute intervals followed by five-minute breaks. The goal? Staying motivated while also breaking down big tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks. Your house will get clean and you won't lose your mind in the process — a win-win! Weird … but kind of genius? A writer at Salon found that her smoothies tasted even better when she started using roasted fruit. Think roasting peaches with honey and cinnamon, or creating an apple pie-inspired smoothie by baking apples, storing them in the fridge overnight and then blending them with rolled oats in the a.m. It's a great way to make a morning smoothie way more exciting with new flavors. The latest fitness craze on social media? People doing 100 kettlebell swings a day. You don't need to do that many reps to enjoy the benefits of this exercise, however. 'Most of us spend a lot of time sitting — on our phones, at our computers, in our cars — which makes the front of our body super-tight and pulls us into that rounded, hunchback position,' personal trainer Nico Gonzalez tells Yahoo Life. 'When done correctly, kettlebell swings really activate the muscles along your spine, the backs of your arms and the backs of your legs, which helps bring your posture upright. So, it's actually a really great corrective exercise.' Research says that working out with kettlebells can improve your grip and muscle strength overall, as well as lower inflammation. This week, make your gym workout all about kettlebells with this five-move kettlebell plan. I recently hit up an infrared sauna on my longevity treatment journey and was so glad I did; there's nothing more relaxing than getting a good sweat in. But there's science behind the sweat too: Regularly using a sauna has been shown to reduce joint and muscle stiffness, improve your immune system and enhance sleep. Plus, spending time in a sauna has also been linked to a better mood. I, for one, am never happier. Try sitting in a sauna for 15 to 20 minutes, Dr. Jaclyn Tolentino, a primary care physician at tells Women's Health. If you feel dizzy or sick, step out. "Sauna use should feel like a supportive ritual, not a challenge to power through,' Tolentino explains. "The key is to listen to your body — it should feel nourishing, not punishing." Gossiping has an admittedly bad reputation. But there's actually some good that can come from talking about others. 'Human connection through shared information and communication is core to who we are and connects us to each other,' Thea Gallagher, director of wellness programs at NYU Langone Health, tells Fox News. 'We might feel closer to someone when we know they are confiding in us with information and vice versa.' And gossiping can also build empathy. For example, if you get wind that someone else is dealing with something (divorce, a sick parent, etc.) you can relate to, you may feel more connected to that person and be even more likely to open up to them in the future. The key to making sure gossip never becomes malicious or catty is to ensure it's coming from a place of curiosity, rather than to harm someone's reputation through the spread of mean-spirited comments. May 11 is National Foam Rolling Day, which should be your reminder to break out your roller after an intense exercise session. Foam rolling is a practice in which you use a foam cylinder (or sometimes even something spherical, like a hard rubber ball) to apply pressure to sore or tight muscles. This targets fascia, aka the connective tissue surrounding muscles and organs. It helps increase blood flow, reduce muscle tension and improve flexibility, making it an excellent way to aid in recovery, not to mention prevent injury next time you work out. Need help getting started? Try these two easy exercises from Men's Fitness. And make sure to skip foam rolling your neck, joint areas or anywhere that you're already injured; you could do more harm than good. In the mood to try a new tea? Try dandelion tea — especially if you deal with digestive discomfort. Dandelion tea can help relieve bloating, which can potentially come from eating a high-sodium diet, thanks to its natural diuretic properties, helping to flush excess fluid from the body. But that's not the only reason to try this herbal tea: Dandelion tea is packed with antioxidants, including beta-carotene, in addition to being a good source of vitamin A. You may have seen the 'okra water' trend making its rounds on TikTok, with some claiming that this drink — which is made by soaking sliced raw okra pods overnight and straining out the solids — helps with blood sugar control. While there haven't been studies confirming this, there is still a good reason to eat okra, which is packed with fiber, minerals and antioxidants. It's specifically a great source of magnesium and folate, which support muscle and heart health. Try pickling it, using shorter pods and patting them dry before brining to avoid a slimy texture. Resistance training is so important for maintaining muscle mass and bone health. This week, change things up by picking up a medicine ball. Training with a medicine ball helps build 'explosive power, increases body strength, increases speed and provides more versatile movement in different planes,' fitness coach Tatiana Lampa tells Women's Health. You can slam a medicine ball, toss it or twist with it beyond what you could do with a traditional weight. Plus, the shape and feel of a medicine ball means it mimics real-world activities — like, say, lifting a toddler or carrying a bag of groceries — which helps build functional strength.
