THE global spread of the novel coronavirus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is a serious concern as the death toll already exceeds 1,100 as of Feb. 12, 2020.

The World Health Organization (WHO) advised the public to undertake basic protective measures against the outbreak which includes proper hand hygiene or the use of an alcohol-based rub since these simple hygiene practices eliminate the virus in the hands.

With or without the coronavirus, hand hygiene is critical since our hands are the main pathways of germ transmission and according to studies, “the greater the improvement in people’s hand washing habits, the more dramatic the effect on slowing or reducing the spread of many infectious diseases.”

Our schools play a crucial role in promoting this basic hygiene practice among our students by ensuring that there is time allocated for effective hand hygiene education.

Hence, public and private schools should allocate classroom period for effective hand hygiene education among their students based on the WHO recommended measures specifically on proper hand washing and personal hygiene practices to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Proper hand hygiene should become a daily habit for students which must be practiced and reinforced in the classrooms through effective and creative instructional materials. (By Councilor Alvin Dizon, Cebu City)