Summer is the season for sun-drenched fun, but those festival fields, campsites and swimming sites can also come with an increased risk of infection. That’s because warmer weather, more social interaction and frequent contact with unfamiliar environments make it easier for germs to spread, and microbes thrive in warmth and moisture.
Clean hands are the best defense against those germs, which is why washing your hands is so important during the summer, especially when you’re doing any of these popular summer activities.
- Using public restrooms and shared toilets - Whether it’s at an outdoor festival, a gas station stop during a road trip, or a beach bathroom, these high-traffic areas can be breeding grounds for bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, coronavirus and more. Hand sanitizer isn’t always enough, but washing your hands thoroughly will help protect you.
- Cooking and eating outside - Barbecues and picnics are a lot of fun, but if food is left out in the sun or meat isn’t cooked thoroughly, someone could easily end up with food poisoning. Always wash your hands before and after handling food, and after touching shared surfaces like picnic tables, barbecue tools and coolers.
- Swimming and water play - Lakes, rivers, swimming pools and oceans can all contain harmful germs and parasites, which can be resistant to chlorine. Beach sand and seawater can even carry fecal bacteria, so you definitely want to wash your hands before eating or touching your face after swimming or building sandcastles.
- Camps, playgrounds and festivals - Kids are at higher risk of infection during the summer thanks to group settings like summer camps, playgrounds and soft play centers, where germs spread easily.
- But doesn’t getting dirty help build kids’ immune systems? - Yes, early exposure to natural microbes in soil, from animals or the environment can help support immune development, but this isn’t the same as skipping handwashing after using the toilet or preparing food. Not washing your hands raises the risk for illness, especially for young kids, older adults and those with weakened immune systems. Washing hands is cheap, effective, and the key to staying healthy in the summer.
Source: Science Alert