SCA’s Tork® brand sets a new record with Guinness World Records® in support of Global Handwashing Day
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – PHILADELPHIA – October 14, 2010 – To celebrate “Global Handwashing Day,” 2,151 Philadelphia Union soccer fans last week earned world record standing with Guinness World Records for the most people simultaneously sanitizing their hands. SCA, a global hygiene company, and its Tork brand sponsored the record to increase awareness about the importance of proper hand hygiene.
Global Handwashing Day is an event celebrated by millions of students and educators in more than 80 countries worldwide. The observance is designed to spread awareness about the positive impact of proper handwashing on public health.
“Clean hands are one of the most effective ways to prevent illness and spreading germs,” said Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint Louis University and a member of the Tork® Green Hygiene Council™. “We play a huge part in protecting our own health and the health of the people we interact with. One simple yet significant step to achieving that is to keep hands clean.”
The primary spread of illnesses like colds and flu is from person to person in respiratory droplets of coughs and sneezes. Some viruses and bacteria can live up to eight hours or longer on surfaces like desks, tables, and doorknobs or handles. In the United States alone, more than 25 million people will report having the flu this fall, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
Individuals are urged to use good hand hygiene technique, which includes washing hands with warm water and soap and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds, followed by thoroughly drying hands with a single-use paper towel. Hand sanitizer is an effective alternative when water, soap and single-use paper towels are not available.
“People often underestimate the importance of completely drying their hands,” said Duberg. “Wet hands transfer about 1,000 times more germs than dry hands, and paper towels eliminate more germs than air dryers.”
The world record, set prior to the Philadelphia Union versus Los Angeles Galaxy soccer game on Oct. 7, kicks off SCA and Tork’s seasonal push to fight against the flu and other illnesses that can be combated with proper hand hygiene practices.
For more information, including additional hand hygiene and sustainability tips, please visit www.torkusa.com.
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