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 Clean Hands Save Lives!

Healthy Schools, Healthy People - It's a SNAP

Script for Dr. Gerberding Statement

(For SNAP Awards, September 19, 2005)

Congratulations Ralston Middle School on being selected as the top recipient of the 2005 Healthy Schools, Healthy People - It's a SNAP award. You've done a great job in promoting handwashing and staying healthy. As we celebrate National Clean Hands Week during September, your accomplishment is a great reminder that keeping your hands clean is one of the most important things we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading germs to others.

Science shows that kids and adults don't wash their hands as often as they should. We live in a world where new infections threaten us and old ones keep appearing. Handwashing is just a simple step that can protect us from new infections and from common, everyday illnesses like colds and foodborne diseases.

Our parents always urged us to wash our hands and that advice is more important than ever. Projects to promote handwashing, like SNAP, protect our health and may improve school attendance as well. Attendance is linked to better test scores and science has shown that scheduled handwashing in school settings is associated with fewer absences. Clearly, you just can't lose by promoting handwashing.

SNAP is a wonderful example of how we can work together to protect our children's health. The Soap and Detergent Association is a great partner and we look forward to the next steps. SNAP is certainly a public, private partnership for children's health.

Again, congratulations to Ralston Middle School on the exceptional job you have done to foster a school environment that promotes handwashing and staying healthy.

Page last modified: February 18, 2008
Page last reviewed: May 11, 2006
Content Source: National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED)