Handwashing kit for kids available to schools

Thursday 1 March 2006

Fun handwashing kit for kids available to schools

An exciting new resource showing children the importance of washing and drying their hands, is now available in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes districts.

The “Glo-box Handwashing Kit”, developed by Toi Te Ora – Public Health is an educational resource schools can incorporate into their curriculum.

“Children put the Glo-germ gel on their hands, the place them into the black box. Under the ultra violet lights they’ll see their hands glowing. Then they wash their hands as they normally do and put them back into the box,” says Health Protection Officer Trieste Ngawhika. “The areas they haven’t washed and dried effectively will still be glowing!”

Hand washing is one of the single most important measures to reduce the spread of infectious diseases such as gastrointestinal illnesses and respiratory viral infections in both children and adults.

“The kit carries an important message but it’s also fun for kids,” she says. “We have already had a great response from people at recent events.”

The “Glo-box” Handwashing Kit has been developed following the success of the Hand Hygiene/Washing Resource, put together by Community Child and Youth Services (a service of the Bay of Plenty DHB), and results of the Toi Te Ora – Public Health handwashing survey. The survey, conducted in 2006, showed most children in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes districts have soap and water to wash their hands at school but only half have the most effective drying facilities.

The kit comes with free stickers and fridge magnets for children, information on handwashing, a wall display and instructions for use.

Public Health Nurses in the Bay of Plenty and Lakes districts are providing teacher training so the kit can be used in classrooms. Teachers can contact their local Toi Te Ora – Public Health Health Information Coordinator to arrange training and source the kit for classroom use.

ENDS

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