Good hand hygiene is the best way to protect yourself from a respiratory illness like COVID-19. 

In the video above, Lauren Hinkle, Nebraska Medicine infection preventionist, demonstrates the hand-washing technique recommended by the World Health Organization.

This method takes about 40 seconds. You can use hot or cold water, but make sure you're applying enough friction. 

Step 1:

Wet your hands with water.

Step 2:

Apply enough soap to cover all hand surfaces.

Step 3:

Rub your hands palm to palm.

Step 4:

Interlace your fingers, with your palm touching the back of the other hand. Rub back and forth. Do the same on the other side.

Step 5:

Face your palms together, interlace your fingers, and rub back and forth. 

Step 6:

Rub rotationally around the base of both thumbs.

Step 7:

Cup your hand and rub the tips of all your fingers in your cupped palm to clean your nails and nail beds. Do this for both hands.

Step 8:

Open up your palm, rub the tips of your fingers in small little circles inside each palm. 

Step 9:

Finish off the time by rubbing soap all over your hands, then rinse.

Step 10:

Use a paper towel, or something else, to dry your hands before turning off the water. Once your hands are dry, use the towel to turn off the faucet.