People are being urged to wash hands properly and use anti-bacterial hand soaps to help prevent the spread of germs and bacteria.

The call comes as the Bermuda Hospitals Board launched Infection Control Week ? which aims to remind people to wash their hands regularly and prevent the spread of everyday illnesses, such as colds and more serious conditions such as flu and salmonella.

?At home, work and in the hospital, our hands continuously pick up germs from touching objects and people or by sneezing into our palms,? said Linda Rothwell, an infection control practitioner at BHB.

?Washing your hands regularly and properly is the best way for you to prevent the spread of illnesses, especially as we head into the cold and flu season.?

The BHB said anti-bacterial soaps are not necessary for effective hand-washing, but a proper technique with soap and warm water or hand sanitizer is needed and people should spend at least 15 seconds washing their hands.

Janice DeSilva, infection control practitioner, said: ?Healthcare workers are not the only ones who play a major role in infection prevention.

?Every year thousands of visitors and patients enter our doors and not all are aware of the steps they can take to prevent the spread of infection.

?BHB is joining an international initiative and is kicking off a campaign to educate staff, patients and visitors on their role in preventing the spread of infection ? both in the hospital and at home.?

During the week, there will be displays in the lobbies of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute highlighting the importance of hand hygiene and covering sneezes and coughs.