50 ways to celebrate National Public Health Week

National Public Health Week is a great way to get your students, employees, coworkers, family members and others involved with better health! Every organization (regardless of whether it is a school, health organization, food service, corporate office, etc.) can benefit from a hygiene or infection control activity, game or reminder. The activity does not have to be complex or expensive. Just a poster, mass email or something small can have an impact on the health levels.

Don't see ideas that can work for your organization or have questions on the implementation of any of the listed ideas? We directly consult with businesses on a normal basis and can do the same for your organization. We are offering our consultations at no cost for the two weeks leading up to National Public Health Week (1st week of April each year). Contact us at info@OUTFOXprevention.com for information.

National Public Health Week creates great results and has applicable themes each year. Check out their site for this year's theme (www.NPHW.org) or check out updates on OUTFOXprevention.com. Enjoy!

...Or Ways to Support Another Health Campaign

National Public Health Week can be a great opportunity to increase efforts for better hygiene standards in your organization. Since it is nationally recognized, you should be able to garner more support and possibly more resources. However, many of our ideas require little money and can be done by almost anyone. If you have ideas to add (new, creative, proven, etc.) please send them! Send them to info@OUTFOXprevention.com. Thanks in advance for your help!

The following is a working list and not comprehensive. Enjoy the ideas! 50 Ways to Celebrate Health Week:

1. Create a flyer about good hygiene (hand washing, nutrition, etc.) and post around your city

2. Have HR/Principal/President send out an email about public health stating the need to focus on health for the week

3. Volunteer to help clean up at a local shelter

4. Hold a cleaning competition

5. Set up a health promotion table in a high traffic area in your organization, local school or park/square

6. Create a bulletin board that allows people to post hygiene thoughts and quotes

7. Highlight a specific health practice on a large poster and post in a high traffic area

8. Make or purchase hand washing signs and place them on bathroom mirrors

9. Use glitter to represent germs in a hand washing demonstration

10. Buy a Glo Germ system (fluorescent simulation germs and UV black light)

  11. Apply to the hands of students and employees to see how well they wash their hands

  12. Apply powder or gel to door handles or other areas to show how germs spread

  13. Apply simulation germs on two identical areas and see which area can be cleaned best from two teams

14. Have your vents or air systems cleaned to help eliminate airborne pathogens in your building(s)

15. Put central hand sanitizer stations throughout the organization

16. Give each student or employee a personal hand sanitizer

17. Exhibit for your organization at a health fair already being conducted in your area

18. Distribute flyers for a local health fair (to students, employee mailboxes, door to door, etc.)

19. Allow students or employees time off to attend a health fair

20. Buy fruit and put it in your lunch or break room

21. Hang a nutrition poster in the lunch or break room

22. Conduct an oral hygiene lesson with the color packets to show where germs/plaque remain

23. Depending on numbers, purchase new toothbrushes for organization members

24. Make or buy a T-shirt with a health message on it to wear during the week and afterward

25. Post a health message on your organization's Facebook

26. Post a health message on your personal Facebook

27. Write a small blog on the importance of health, hygiene, infection control, nutrition, safety or other related topic for your followers

28. Post a link to a health website or blog on your Twitter

29. Find a great health article and send it to your email lists with a National Public Health Week message

30. Avoid unhealthy restaurants and move luncheons to healthier locations

31. Change menus or vending machine offerings to healthier alternatives

32. Create a picture board and fill it full of pictures of students or employees doing healthy activities

33. Pass out sanitizing wipes and have students and employees wipe their desks, pens, computers, phones and other areas down (immediately)

34. Get a group together to go on a walk for lunch (or do a physical activity as a group for schools)

35. Conduct a health and safety assessment for your organization

  36. Grade each department or class based on health standards, hygiene standards, etc.

37. Invite a local professional to talk about relevant topics

  38. Invite a fireman to talk about fire safety and what to do during a fire

  39. Invite an emergency preparedness expert to talk about potential local disasters

  40. invite a nurse or local health professional to talk about illness prevention

  41. Invite a dentist or dental hygienist to talk about oral hygiene

  42. Invite a nutritionist to talk about nutrition, vitamins and other food topics

  43. Invite a health inspector to talk about food safety at home, work or play

44. Donate, collect or solicit hygiene supplies to give to charities

  45. Organize or join a group that is assembling hygiene or health kits for struggling areas or international populations

  46. Change marquee signs (if you have access at your organization) with witty, funny or applicable messages about health, hygiene and infection control

  47. Buy, make or print hygiene posters and post at school, work or at home

  48. Update bathrooms to ensure soap, towels, properly placed garbage cans and so forth are in order for optimal health standards

  49. Reiterate, refine and distribute the organization's sick leave policy so individuals know that it is appropriate to stay home when ill to not spread the associated germs

  50.... Is this 50? Maybe... We're just trying to find something that resonates with you and your organization!

There has always been a running debate between hand washing and hand sanitizers... Does soap and water always trump the alcohol and non alcohol sanitizer rubs on the market? Recently as the CDC and other entities have recognized hand sanitizers more, we've seen an increased number of people that are washing less and sanitizing more.

Germs are everywhere which facilitates people carrying sanitizing gels and sanitizing sprays around with them, but should you be getting to a sink with hot water and soap more often then you currently do? You tell us. We just know that living according to effective infection control principles and maintaining high hygiene standards is important!

Besides informing about hand sanitizer, you should always be continually pushing for hand washing. There isn't always a convenient time to hand wash (and that is where sanitizer is helpful). Let's all just avoid illness and disease together!