Infection Control 101: Managing Illness, Outbreaks, and Hand Hygiene Picture This

The image shows children sharing toys at a table while one child wipes their nose with their hand. Nearby, a sink is visible but unused.

What’s wrong is not the play—it’s the missed hygiene step. Unwashed hands quickly transfer germs to toys, surfaces, and other children.

What should be avoided is delaying handwashing after coughing, sneezing, or wiping noses. The behaviour to model is immediate hand hygiene before returning to play.