<span style="color: #222222;">To day is Global Handwashing Day. The day is observed on October 15 each year to raise awareness and highlight the importance of handwashing as an effective means of disease prevention.<br />''<br />''Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the regional director of WHO South-East Asia Region said, this year it marks a critical reminder for the world that this simple, cost-effective practice can save lives.<br />''<br />''Ten months into the pandemic, handwashing with soap and other public health measures such as maintaining physical distance, practising cough etiquette and wearing a mask remain the best defense against coronavirus said Dr Singh.<br />''<br />''Handwashing has always been one of the most effective ways of keeping diseases at bay and is also one of the key cornerstones of COVID-19 prevention.<br />''<br />''Now more than ever as we embrace the new normal and live with COVID-19, hand hygiene needs to become an integral part of our daily routine and our lives as we live through this pandemic and beyond to protect us from diseases, she said.<br />''<br />''To stop the spread of COVID-19, along with other COVID appropriate behaviours, the practice of handwashing at regular intervals is a must, after coughing or sneezing, when caring for the sick, after using the toilet, before eating, while preparing food and after handling animals or animal waste.<br />''<br />''Handwashing after touching common surfaces such as doorknobs or handles, or after one comes back home from visiting a public place will keep ourselves and others around us safe, Dr Singh said.</span><br />