The best and worst UK areas for washing their hands after the toilet
Would you ever admit it if you didn’t wash your hands regularly after using the toilet? Well, 2,000 Britons opened up about their dirty habits in a new survey and it was revealed that more than a quarter skip handwashing after using the toilet.
Of those who admitted to walking around with dirty mitts, a third (31%) were men while 20% were women.
According to new research from Churchill Home Insurance, Brits are generally lax when it comes to hygiene standards. Two-thirds (65%) don’t bother washing their hands after using public transport, while even more (71%) don’t wash their hands after blowing their nose or coughing.
It comes after NHS hospitalisations caused by flu and norovirus have soared this winter. Churchill says its findings show the need for more regular and thorough handwashing to ward off illnesses.
The NHS advises washing your hands after each time you use the toilet. You should also wash them after changing a nappy, as well as after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing.
Other instances where handwashing is highly recommended include before and after handling raw foods, before eating or handling food, before and after treating a cut or wound, and after touching animals, including pets, their food and after cleaning their cages.
Washing your hands thoroughly removes dirt, viruses and bacteria, which stops the spread of illnesses to other people.
The research by Churchill found that men are the biggest culprits of poor hygiene. While 42% of women wash their hands after using public transport, only 27% of men do the same.
On top of that, 23% of men said they rarely or never wash their hands after blowing their noses, compared to 14% of women.
The survey also found stark regional differences across the UK when it came to hand hygiene after using the toilet. People living in the South West of the country were the most likely (87%) to wash their hands every time after using the toilet, followed by those living in Wales (85%), the East of England (81%), and Northern Ireland (78%).
At the bottom of the cleanliness list was Londoners, where only 65% of people said they washed their hands after using the toilet. This was followed by people living in the North East (67%) and North West (67%).
Earlier this month, NHS data showed that norovirus levels in hospitals in England are 80% higher than the same period last year, with 784 patients a day in hospital with norovirus as of the week ending 19 January.
Amy Douglas, epidemiologist at UKHSA, advised: "If you have diarrhoea and vomiting, you can take steps to avoid passing the infection on. Do not return to work, school or nursery until 48 hours after your symptoms have stopped and do not prepare food for others in that time either.
"If you are unwell, avoid visiting people in hospitals and care homes to prevent passing on the infection in these settings.
"Washing your hands with soap and warm water and using bleach-based products to clean surfaces will also help stop infections from spreading. Alcohol gels do not kill norovirus so do not rely on these alone."
At the same time, flu rates remain 2.5 times higher than last year, with 3,833 patients in hospital with the illness on average each day last week. The combination of norovirus, flu, and other winter viruses like RSV (respiratory synctial virus) is putting even more pressure on the health service, it warned.
Commenting on the findings, Sarah Khan, head of Churchill Home Insurance, said: "Illness is rife in the winter months and cases of flu and norovirus [are] rising sharply in hospitals across the country.
"Our findings highlight the need for people to take better care of their personal hygiene, with handwashing playing a vital role in preventing the spread of seasonal colds and flu, as well as other illnesses and infections.
"Simple habits like washing hands properly with soap and water, cleaning surfaces in the home and regularly washing bed sheets can help reduce our risk of becoming unwell."
Read more about winter health:
Four norovirus myths debunked, and how to avoid catching the bug (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
As Flu Cases Rise Rapidly In The UK, These Are The Symptoms To Know (HuffPost, 3-min read)
Common winter root vegetable 'packed with nutrients' can boost gut health (Liverpool Echo, 2-min read)
