SO HOW good are Singaporeans in the first of the swine flu 3Cs - cleanliness?
We decided to put it to the test by seeing if Singaporeans wash their hands after using the toilet.
First, the good news: Of the 220 people we observed, 95 per cent washed their hands after going to the toilet.
The bad news: Only 75 per cent did so with soap.
Overall, women did better then men - 98 per cent washed their hands compared with 92 per cent of men.
We observed 120 women and 100 men.
Washing hands with just water is not enough to clean hands thoroughly.
But those who did just that have their own explanations.
Said Mr Mark Lim, 39, who is currently unemployed: 'It's faster if I wash without soap.'
Mr Li, 32, a kitchen helper, said he usually goes back to his kitchen and washes his hands more thoroughly there.
Mr Liu, 26, who works in a food stall, said: 'The soap dispenser itself is dirty anyway, since so many people use it. I wash again at the kitchen.'
Effective
Washing hands is so important to personal hygiene and public health that Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has launched a hand-washing drive aimed at educating the public on proper hand hygiene as part of its CSI (Clean, Safe, Infection-free) campaign.
The campaign aims to prevent the transmission of the germs that cause influenza, food poisoning, hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and other serious illnesses.
Hand-washing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent illnesses.
'Studies have shown that it is the single most important thing that can be done to stop the spread of infection,' said Professor Chng Hiok Hee, who is leading TTSH's public education efforts.
She is known as the 'clinician champion for infection-free hospital'.
Not just doctors and nurses
'It is a big challenge. Look who has contact with our patients. It's not just the doctors and nurses, but also their friends and relatives who come to visit as well as volunteers and other patients in the same hospital,' she said.
There cannot be a weak link in this chain of people, otherwise infection will spread.
'We assume that every one needs to be trained and re-trained,' said Prof Chng.
The re-training of all 5,100 TTSH staff was completed in February.
Now, the hospital is carrying out training for new staff and the public including hospital volunteers, patients' friends and relatives.
All who can demonstrate the seven steps correctly will get a certificate.
The public, staff and patients all stand a chance to win a new Subaru Impreza, sponsored by Subaru Motor Image, as well as nine other prizes if they can demonstrate the seven steps of hand-washing correctly.
The car will be in the hospital throughout the two-month campaign period.
SEE HOW IT'S DONE: Tan Tock Seng Hospital will be holding handwashing demonstrations at its atrium till 22 May, Mondays to Fridays at noon for outpatients and visitors of inpatients. Handwashing demonstrations for the public will be held at United Square from 1 to 26 Jun, Mondays to Fridays at noon. A coupon for the lucky draw will be given to participants who can successfully follow the 7-steps of handwashing.
