Global Handwashing Day is coming up soon, on October 15. With schools back in session, COVID cases on the rise, and cold and flu season right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to reinforce good hand hygiene habits. The USDA found that 97% of people do not wash their hands correctly, so it’s clearly something we should be teaching and practicing at home, in schools, and beyond.

Engaging students in spreading the hand hygiene message is a great opportunity to teach and reinforce hand hygiene habits in the community. There are lots of possibilities for doing this in the classroom or as an extracurricular endeavor. It could involve a volunteer activity to teach younger students, a multimedia project that could be submitted as a PSA for a local radio or TV station, an art display that serves as a handwashing reminder in the school, or a science fair submission demonstrating the effectiveness of handwashing. Encourage students to get creative!

Students aren’t the only ones who can help spread the word. Everyone has a role to play in modeling good hand hygiene habits and sharing the importance of handwashing. Find out ways you can celebrate for Global Handwashing Day!