Did you know that our hand is one of the dirtiest part of our body. Why? It is because we often use our hands in our daily activities such as typing, holding things, cooking, eating, or simply calling or texting using our phone. With various activities, our hands are expose to germs that might be the cause of certain illnesses. That is why proper hand-washing is very important to prevent germs from spreading.

Through the Safeguard Germ Alarm system, proper hygiene through hand-washing is promoted.

What is Safeguard Germ Alarm?

The Safeguard Germ Alarm is a loud, attention-grabbing alarm and soap dispenser in one. It is an invention made especially by Safeguard to tackle the issue of germs in public restrooms.

It is triggered once a person leaves a toilet cubicle, and is disarmed once the soap dispenser is pressed.

The Safeguard Germ Alarm was first introduced during Global Handwashing Day in October 2013.

Alarms were initially installed in McDonald’s branches around Metro Manila, schools and offices. It alerted more than 10,000 people to wash their hands after using public toilets.

The Safeguard Germ Alarm will soon be installed in more public restrooms around the country so that more Filipinos could make proper hand-washing a habit.

About Germs and Hand-washing

High-touch areas of public restrooms can contain more than 1,000 colony-forming units per milliliter of infection-causing bacteria.

Lennox Archibald, MD, PhD, (November 2011). Public restrooms contained too many bacteria to

count. Healio Infectious Disease News. Retrieved from http://www.healio.com/infectious-disease/news/print/infectious-disease-news/%7Baf5f11af-25dc-49a9-8d85-4d3a83b8a86e%7D/public-restrooms-contained-too-many-bacteria-to-count

A new study by Michigan State University researchers found that only 5 percent of people who used the bathroom washed their hands long enough to kill the germs that can cause infections. Also, 33 percent didn’t use soap and 10 percent didn’t wash their hands at all.

Carl Borchgrevink Andy Henion(June 10, 2013). Ewww! Only 5 Percent Wash Hands Correclty. Michigan State University Today). Retrieved from http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2013/eww-only-5-percent-wash-hands-correctly/#sthash.dVw0Zw5P.dpuf

Recommended Proper Hand-washing

It is recommended that everyone should wash his/her hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds in order to kill most of the germs.

 

(Dec 11, 2013) Wash Your Hands. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from.

http://www.cdc.gov/features/handwashing/

It is important to instill the habit of hand-washing among kids so that they can learn proper hygiene from an early age. This will also ensure parents that their children are capable of protecting themselves from germs when in school, or in other places where they may not have their parents around to guide them.

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Using the Safeguard Germ Alarm will surely help us in preventing the germs from spreading and will control the spread of such diseases.

At home, I teach my child to observe cleanliness and in keeping his hands clean as always. After play time, before and after meals, I make sure to it that he wash his hands first. Before bedtime, aside from brushing his teeth and cleaning his body, keeping his hands and feet clean is also part of his regular hygiene before going to bed.

As a mom, I always wash my hands before and after food preparation and cooking. Since I have a baby, I take extra care in keeping a healthy and clean home. I believe that cleanliness should always start from parents and we should teach our child that discipline.

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About Safeguard

SAFEGUARD IS AN ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP. It is P&G’s largest Global Personal Care brand. First launched as a bar soap in the USA in 1963, it is currently sold in more than 15 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America with leadership market share in China and the Philippines. P&G, through its brand Safeguard, co-founded the Global Handwashing Day (GHD) in collaboration with the Global Public Private Partnership for Handwashing.

Safeguard is proven to kill 99.9% of germs IN THE BODY that cause illnesses such as diarrhea, cough, colds, and pneumonia.

Safeguard is committed to protecting every family from germs that cause illness. Through innovative education programs, partnerships with respected local health organizations, and support for Global Handwashing Day, we’re fulfilling our mission to promote life-saving hygiene habits around the world.

About Procter & Gamble

Driven by passionate people and a common purpose, P&G brings beloved brands to consumers around the world—including our 50 Leadership Brands that are among the world’s most well known household names. Its purpose is to provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers, now and for generations to come. As a result, consumers will reward us with leadership sales, profit and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders and the communities in which we live and work to prosper.