Governor Proclaims Hand Hygiene Day 2022

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina seeks to protect and improve the health of all North Carolinians by preventing disease, promoting good health, and assuring access to quality healthcare; and

WHEREAS, every year, healthcare-associated infections are among the leading causes of death in the United States; and

WHEREAS, on any given day in the United States, approximately one in 31 hospitalized patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection; and

WHEREAS, every year 5 percent of all hospitalized admissions result in a healthcare-associated infection leading to 722,000 infections and 75,000 deaths; and

WHEREAS, the financial burden attributed to healthcare-associated infection represents an estimated $28 billion to $33 billion in direct healthcare costs to United States hospitals each year, and $124 million to $348 million in North Carolina alone; and

WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than two million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant organisms every year; and

WHEREAS, more than 2.6 million North Carolinians have been infected with COVID-19 and more than 23,000 have died; and

WHEREAS, now, more than ever, it is important to follow proper hand hygiene guidelines: thoroughly washing your hands not only safeguards your own health, but also that of health care providers, patients, and the public; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology North Carolina Chapter, and public health partners in public and private sectors, in partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are working to enhance public and healthcare provider awareness and engagement regarding appropriate hand hygiene practices through sponsorship of World Hand Hygiene Day;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2022, as “HAND HYGIENE DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.