/oss/taxonomy/term/4388/all en /oss/article/health-videos/right-chemistry-wash-your-hands <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-p-1qn1czu1u" width="640" height="390" title="Dr. Joe Schwarcz: Wash your hands!" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/P_1qn1cZU1U?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-p-1qn1czu1u&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Dr. Joe Schwarcz: Wash your hands!" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Dr. Joe Schwarcz: Wash your hands!</iframe> </div> </p> Fri, 20 Mar 2020 21:18:16 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8190 at /oss /oss/article/health/liquid-or-bar-soapy-tales <p>Never has “Happy Birthday” been sung with such frequency. Two stanzas are just about the right length of time, about twenty to thirty seconds, for a proper hand wash. And we should be washing. After all, it is an evidence-based procedure! Studies have shown that hand washing is very effective at slowing the transmission of microbial infections. In the case of viruses, the entry into the body is through the mouth, nose or eyes, and that is most likely to happen by touching the face with contaminated hands. Soapy water washes away microbes very effectively, better than just water.</p> Fri, 28 Feb 2020 16:38:56 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8159 at /oss /oss/article/health/nix-hansdshake-and-cheek-kiss <p>The custom of double kissing on the cheek as a form of greeting has always bugged me. Microbugged me. Do we really need to punctuate an encounter by exchanging oral microbes? What’s wrong with a good old-fashioned firm handshake? As it turns out, plenty!</p> Thu, 05 Mar 2020 19:49:50 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8166 at /oss