Developing the right sort of hygiene
Two fundamental questions now need to be answered:
“How can we develop an approach to hygiene, which reconnects us with the necessary microbial exposures, whilst also protecting us against infectious diseases?"
The answer is to promote “Targeted Hygiene”.
How do we change public understanding about the difference between “cleanliness” (absence of visible dirt) and “hygiene” (protecting against infectious diseases)?
This is a real challenge.
What is Targeted Hygiene?
Since 1997, IFH has been developing an approach to hygiene which has come to be known as Targeted Hygiene.
Targeted Hygiene is a holistic approach which focuses hygiene practices at the times when harmful microbes are most likely to spread, in order to break the chain of infection.
Targeted Hygiene is a framework that works to reduce spread of all types of infection, including food borne and other intestinal infections, respiratory infections, skin infections etc.
It focuses on hygiene as the public experience it, as a set of interrelated, interdependent actions performed throughout daily life, to prevent exposure to harmful microbes.
Difference between cleanliness and hygiene
What are Germs?
When someone talks about germs we usually go “yuck” – but be careful – it’s often used to mean any type of microbe – including the “good guys” – very confusing!
