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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 4, 2020

Global handwashing day

Students and faculty of Piedmont College come together to celebrate Global Handwashing Day.

Demorest, Georgia, September 4, 2020– In order to prepare for Global Handwashing Day, held on Oct. 15, Piedmont College Associate Professor of Biology Julia Schmitz is hoping to educate students on proper handwashing techniques.

“When you’re washing your hands with soap, the bacteria tend to stick to the grease in the oils on your hands and the oil acts as a mediator,” said Schmitz. “At the same time you’re rinsing off the oil, you’re also rinsing off the germs that are connected to the oil and the grease on your hands.”

Global Handwashing Day is held every year on Oct. 15. This is the first time that Piedmont College is participating in an event like Global Handwashing Day, COVID-19 being a major factor in the participation. The school is hosting different events throughout the day to encourage handwashing and educate the Piedmont community on how they can properly wash their hands.

Dennis is collaborating with Schmitz for the event. While Schmitz and her team handle planning the day, Dennis’ team works on promoting the activity to gain experience in public relations.

“I think it will be interesting to see students simulate washing their hands with the ink and gloves to discover all the places they miss,” Dennis said. “I’m hoping that students can gain awareness of not only the importance of washing their hands, but how to properly do it.”

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, handwashing has become more of a priority for people. If they do not have the option to wash their hands, then using hand sanitizer is a good alternative. People should be aware, though, that hand washing is the best option because the germs get rinsed away with the water. With hand sanitizer, there is not that rinsing aspect, so the germs are still present.

This event will help the Piedmont community understand the importance of washing their hands by hosting experiments anyone can participate in. Additionally, a TikTok video competition will be held in which students can submit their most informative and entertaining videos regarding handwashing.

For more information about the event, email Julia Schmitz at jschmitz@piedmont.edu.

About Piedmont College

One of the most dynamic small colleges in the Southeast, Piedmont is an independent liberal arts college of more than 2,260 students. The college’s four schools—Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, and Nursing & Health Sciences—develop tomorrow’s leaders by engaging students in the classroom, in their community, and around the world. Founded in 1897, Piedmont offers bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degree programs at its Demorest residential campus in the foothills of the northeast Georgia mountains and at its Athens campus in the heart of Georgia’s Classic City. Information can be found at www.piedmont.edu.