Hand hygiene saves lives. To contain the spread of COVID-19 and many other infectious diseases, it is critically important to clean your hands regularly with water and soap or alcohol-based hand rub
Until just 170 years ago, many people thought infections were caused by foul, polluted air or ‘miasma’. In the mid 19th century, physician Ignaz Semmelweis discovered how microbial infection works and found that handwashing with soap dramatically reduced the spread of deadly diseases. In the 20th century, leaders have continued to pioneer hygiene including Elaine Larson, a nurse professor working globally to improve standards