GET RID OF THE GERMS

  Proper hand washing could save more than a
     million lives a year worldwide, public-health
experts say. But nearly 40 percent of Americans still
seldom or never wash their hands after coughing or
sneezing, a recent survey found. The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention recommends washing hands
with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, about as
long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. The
most important times to wash are:
   • Before preparing or eating food.
   • After going to the bathroom, changing a dia-
per, blowing your nose, coughing, handling garbage,
sneezing, or taking care of an animal.
   • Before and after tending to a cut or wound, or
having close contact with someone who is ill.
    Hand sanitizers can help in a pinch, but make sure
they contain at least 60 percent alcohol. They can kill
the germs they come in contact with but don't cut
through layers of dirt that can hide germs. So use soap
and water whenever you can. Antibacterial soaps are
unnecessary and potentially harmful. They don't kill
viruses, and the main ingredient, triclosan, may help
breed drug-resistant bacteria.