are you aware of the danger? :)))

I have been obsessed with something for years. I am not able to remember when I start to be obsessed but I still remember people were angry with me when I was at high school because of my habit. I wash my hands exaggeratively. After using the bathroom, I always – without exception- wash my hands at least five times with liquid soap. Many people around me say only one time enough for washing hands if you use soap. I don’t think so and as I know, if you want to keep your hands clean, you must wash it at least two times. I think minimum one time, maximum three times can be enough. But I still wash more than three times. Because of this I said I have been obsessed with something. Yes, I have been obsessed with overwashing my hands. I tried to quit that habit but I couldn’t manage to quit. I know washing hands many times is waste of soap because my roommate always makes a complaint about soap and says to me that I run out of soap. I don’t do it intentionally indeed, I can’t help it. I always think there are still bacteria on my hands after washing several times, so I carry on washing until satisfied.
After outbreaking of the flu, the importance of washing hands is understood one more time. It is recommended to wash hands clearly and thoroughly after using bathroom, before and after eating something. And the most important one during that swine flu is that hands should be washed properly with soap after sneezing or coughing.
I read an article about washing hands on The New York Times under the title of ‘Many Don't Wash Hands After Using the Bathroom’ and it said most of people say they wash their hands after using the bathroom. But a new study suggests that many of them are not telling the truth. This survey should be made in USA but in China situation is not so far from the situation in USA. You can see people don’t even wash their hands with water, let alone washing with soap. So sometimes you really abstain from handshake with Chinese people. Of course I don’t say they are all same, because I saw many people who show attention to hygiene. If they wash the hands, they can be away from the sicknesses. That is important for their own interests. As I can see in China, people pay attention to their health, but when we take the hygiene, I can’t say the same thing unfortunately. That is the impressions they gave me.
So what is the case in Turkiye? I think we Turkish people are lucky, because using soap and water is regarded as necessary in our culture. You can find soap in every bathroom, even at public bathrooms too. I must say that this result from the Islamic culture. God commands to keep your clothes, your body and environment clean and forbid to remain dirty. So Muslims try to do so.
Another thing attracted my attention when I read the article. It was that women are more sensitive and diligent than men. According to survey, 90 percent of women washed their hands while only 75 percent of the men did it.
Then what is the problem? Education? This survey made in USA and they are so-called civilized community. They are really educated. So I think the problem is not education, it is the health education. Dr. Osterholm said like this in his article. And he gave an example too. Let me quote it from the article as same as he wrote. "It's not about education," said Dr. Osterholm. "It's about hygiene education. We have a problem at hospitals with doctors and nurses who don't wash their hands after seeing a patient. You can't get more educated than that."
Yes, the problem is really hygienic education. Not only Chinese common people, but also European and American people should get this education. I think western culture teaches China many things but not hygiene. Hope to see the day everyone become aware of the importance of hygiene. I at least want to see in China…Education is necessary.. :))