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  1. Home
  2. Individual and Family Health
  3. Hand Hygiene
  4. Why Hand Hygiene Is Important and When To Wash Your Hands
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When and Why: Wash Your Hands

  • When and Why Home
  • Diseases
  • Antibiotic Resistance
  • 5 Common Ways Germs are Spread
  • Germs are Tough
  • When Should I Wash Poster

Hand Hygiene

  • Hand Hygiene Home
  • Soap and Water
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Why and When
  • Choosing and Using Soap
  • Teaching Hand Hygiene
  • For Schools and Child Care
  • For Food Handlers
  • For Health Care Professionals
  • Posters and Print Materials

Related Topics

  • Food Safety
  • Cover Your Cough
  • Infection Control

When and Why: Wash Your Hands

  • When and Why Home
  • Diseases
  • Antibiotic Resistance
  • 5 Common Ways Germs are Spread
  • Germs are Tough
  • When Should I Wash Poster

Hand Hygiene

  • Hand Hygiene Home
  • Soap and Water
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Why and When
  • Choosing and Using Soap
  • Teaching Hand Hygiene
  • For Schools and Child Care
  • For Food Handlers
  • For Health Care Professionals
  • Posters and Print Materials

Related Topics

  • Food Safety
  • Cover Your Cough
  • Infection Control
Contact Info
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
651-201-5414
IDEPC Comment Form

Contact Info

Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
651-201-5414
IDEPC Comment Form

Germs Are Tough

This poster teaches about germs.

Download a print version of this document:
Germs are Tough (PDF)

Image of Germs are Tough poster.

  • Virus can be transferred from dry smooth surface up to 20 minutes after being contaminated.
  • Some viruses can travel on droplets through the air.

  • E. coli, salmonella and other bacteria can live up to two hours on surfaces like doorknobs, keyboards, and tables.

  • Bacteria doubles every 20 minutes.
    • Five bacteria in a sandwich at 12:00 noon will total over 10 million by 7 pm. After three days, with no bacteria dying, there would be enough to cover the earth.

  • Microorganisms can build up resistance to drugs (antibiotic resistance) intended to kill them.

  • Hot water will not kill bacteria—only temperatures over 140 degrees can kill them.

Tags
  • hand hygiene
Last Updated: 10/20/2022

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