The simple act of washing your hands has been increasingly important during the COVID-19 outbreak. It's one of the most effective and protective measures to prevent getting infected.

And here are the key times that you should wash your hands:

1.Before/during/afterpreparing food

2.Beforeeating food or taking medicine

3.Afterusing the toilet

4.Aftertouching money

5.Before/aftercontact with others, especially visiting patients in the hospital

6.Before/aftercaring for someone at home who is sick

7.Aftercleaning work or dealing with trash

8.Afteroutdoor activities, like exercise, work or shopping

9.Before/aftertreating a cut or wound

10.Aftertouching blood, tears, nasal mucus, sputum, or saliva

11.Beforeholding a baby, andafterchanging diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet

12.Beforetouching your eyes, nose, or mouth;afterblowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

13.Aftertouching an animal (including your pet), animal feed, or animal waste

Use a disinfecting product that contains alcohol when you cannot wash your hands with water and soap.

The novel coronavirus is not resistant to acid or alkali, and is sensitive to organic solvent and sanitizer. Alcohol with a 75-percent concentration can effectively inactivate the virus, and disinfectant products containing such an alcohol concentration can thus be an alternative.