Germ City to Reach Small Farmers in Final Phase

Normal, Dec. 19, 2003--- The new year marks the final phase of the three-year multistate grant “Clean Hands, Healthy People.”  In 2001, Alabama Extension Health and Nutrition Specialist Dr. Donnie Cook and other Extension specialists from Hawaii, Idaho, Washington and West Virginia were awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  A feature of the grant is Germ City, an interactive, science-based program that visually demonstrates the importance of proper hand washing. 

In the final year of the Alabama A&M University federally funded project the primary focus will be on small farmers of fruits and vegetables and on selected communities statewide. The goal is to teach not only the benefits of proper hand washing but also about food safety.

Hand washing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 million people in the United States become ill annually as a result of food-related diseases, and approximately 5,000 people die.  Poor hygiene, including improperly washed hands, is the greatest contributor of food-related illness outbreaks.

Germ City works by first teaching users about the benefits of proper hand washing and good hand washing techniques. Following an introduction, participants apply a specially formulated, ultraviolet  “pretend germs” lotion to their hands and then travel through Germ City --an exciting tunnel filled with glow-in-the-dark murals and ultraviolet lights. After traveling through the city, participants are then asked to wash their hands with an antibacterial soap and venture through the tunnel again. Under ultraviolet lights, participants can see if traces of lotion remain on their hands and, thus, determine the effectiveness of their hand washing techniques.

Originally spearheaded by Dr. Cook and Alabama A&M graduate assistant Andrea Morris, Germ City has been used at schools, expos and other activities, such as health, county and state fairs. Extension agents and staff in 32 Alabama counties have participated in the project.  Since the program was implemented, approximately 26,000 individuals ranging in age from 3 to 90 have been taught the effectiveness of good hand washing, with immediate results.  In schools, 87 percent of the teachers reported that after participating in Germ City, more children requested to wash their hands.

The final phase of “Clean Hands, Healthy People” will involve collecting additional data from previous users to determine how effective the program has been in reducing the spread of diseases and whether good hand washing techniques were sustained.

Source: Dr. Donnie Cook, Extension Health & Nutrition Specialist,  Alabama A&M University, (256) 372-4983.

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