Germs on your hands
updated by JBOSCQ on 11/11/2025
introduction
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen how important it is to wear a mask and wash our hands to prevent the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms, including SARS-CoV, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, to our loved ones and of course the rest of the population. This is also true for all other pathogens.
But why is it so important to wash your hands during an epidemic?
How should you wash your hands properly? How should you choose between soap and hydroalcoholic gel ?
I- is it important to wash your hands ?
Watch this video :
Recent scientific studies have revealed the importance of microbes. Despite common misconceptions, most microbes are more helpful than harmful to humans and the planet. Bacteria are often perceived as bad, linked in our minds to infection or disease but the majority are in beneficial to humans. Along with other microorganisms (such as viruses and yeasts), bacteria are too small to see with the naked eye. They are, however, all around us. One way to reveal these hidden microorganisms is to grow them in an agar-filled petri dish (also known as an agar plate).
Watch the following video of National geographic and give the main ideas
Vocabulary :
- dwelling = habitation
- ashes = cendres
- lice = poux
- crawling = rampant
- strains of bacteria = souches de bactéries
- belly button = nombril
- stinky = puant
- harmless = inoffensif
In the next activity, we want to learn about hand-washing, the most important mean of preventing the spread of infection.
- How does hand-washing reduces infections?
- Do we always need to disinfect everything?
- Can you give a hypothesis on the difference in effectiveness, or not, between using soap and hydroalcoholic gel?
And do you have germs on your phone? No, of course, I’m very careful ’cause I always wash my hands !
II- The aseptic method
For your safety, please watch the following video « Aseptic techniques in the biology lab » : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuCSELaQ_Go
Sum-up the main points :
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III- Imagin a procedure
Imagin and write a procedure, using the materials below and respecting aseptic techniques.
Materials :
- Yours hands
- 3 premade agar plates (petri dishes)
- Permanent marker pen
- electric beak for heating
- soap and hydroalcoholic gel
which method is efficient for washing our hands? Washing with hydoalcoholic gel or with soap?
That’s what you are going to do in your following lab investigation !
