With the arrival of holiday get-togethers and flu season, hand hygiene is more important now than ever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, proper hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of disease.
SCA is joining the effort to promote awareness about the importance of good hand hygiene, with a particular focus on educating young children, their parents and teachers.
SCA recently created a free downloadable app that makes teaching hand washing basics to children easy and fun. The app, “Ella’s Hand Washing Adventure,” uses an entertaining storytelling approach to show children how, when and why to wash their hands. Parents and teachers can use the app to teach good hand hygiene practices at home and at school, reduce the spread of germs and infections, and fight against the flu.
SCA,a leading global hygiene and forest products company with operations in Flagstaff and Bellemont, manufactures the Tork brand of tissues, towels, napkins and dispenser products, which reduce waste and the risk of cross-contaminations in environments such as school restrooms, cafeterias, office buildings and sports facilities. SCA has nearly 220 employees in the area at its mill in Flagstaff and converting plant in Bellemont.
The Four Rules of Hand Awareness
“Health experts agree that proper hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of disease,” said Amy Bellcourt, SCA vice president, communications. “Our Ella app gives teachers and parents of young children a valuable, effective tool for imparting good hygiene at an early age and reducing the risk of young children getting and/or spreading the flu or other communicable diseases.”
The National Hand Washing Awareness campaign reminds the public of its four basic principles of hand awareness, which are endorsed by the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians:
- Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating.
- Do not cough into your hands.
- Do not sneeze into your hands.
- Do not put your fingers into your eyes, nose or mouth, known as the T-Zone.
“The Ella app reinforces these principles in a way that engages the attention of young children,” said Bellcourt. “The child-friendly format and content allows children to learn at an early age that keeping their hands clean can help keep them healthy.” FBN
“Ella’s Hand Washing Adventure’’ is available on both the App Store and Google Play today.