As we all know, we are in a deadly pandemic. Since we are going to school each day, where we are touching multiple surfaces and other people, it is common sense that we should wash our hands or use hand sanitizers at least once during the school day. 

What you might not realize, however, is that washing your hands with hot water gets rid of the germs better than cold or lukewarm water. According to the FDA [Food and Drug Administration], “hot water comfortable enough for washing hands is not hot enough to kill bacteria but is more effective than cold water because it removes oils from the hand that can harbor bacteria.” 

Most of our school restrooms have cold water. But, if we are in a pandemic where viruses spread easily and we must get rid of germs, why is hot water not running through the faucets? If we are to stay in school 7 hours a day surrounded by thousands of students and faculty members, we need to do our best to remove the bacteria from the palms of our hands. We touch our faces (eyes, nose, mouth) daily, and the best way we can combat those germs is using hot water and soap to clean our hands.