Dubai: Have you ever noticed how cough, cold and flu are uninvited guests at your home, moving from one family member to another?

Well, now we know why. The culprit is poor home hygiene that makes these germs take up abode in your haven.

Home hygiene leader Dettol, as part of their ‘Mission Health’ campaign, conducted a survey in UAE homes that revealed that more that more than 85 per cent of UAE residents contract cold and flu that spread because of poor hygiene at home.

The study results, which showed that the majority of respondents (60 per cent) believed that the toilet flush handle harbours the most bacteria of any other surface at home, clearly indicate the need for more education among residents, as kitchen sinks and surfaces have more germs in a normal household than toilets.

The Arab Hygiene Council (AHC) that met earlier this week supported this research. The meeting was attended by hygiene experts of UAE and Saudi Arabia who emphasised that education and awareness was key to raising hygiene standards at home, work and schools.

Dr Ola Mira, AHC member and Head of Occupational Health and Safety, UAE Ministry of Health, said: “In addition to the home, the workplace is another high-risk environment for the spreading of germs, given the number of people working in close proximity. Many daily activities such as travelling on public transport or choosing to go to work despite having an illness or infection can leave workers vulnerable and impact their productivity. Understanding how germs spread is therefore a vital first step in helping to maintain a cleaner, more hygienic work and home environment”.

Cold and flu prevention was jut one of the key topics discussed during the meeting, which also included briefings on hygiene and infectious diseases; the control of emerging infections, such as the Mers Corona Virus (Mers-CoV), which has impacted the Middle East in particular over the past year.

The AHC members also highlighted the need for children to learn good hygiene habits at a young age, to curb the spread of germs at home or in schools. Classrooms, bathrooms and playgrounds in schools are very susceptible to the spread of germs. So, ensuring that all schoolchildren practise good hygiene is the key to their brain development and academic performance.