CLEANER HANDS A KEY TO HEALTH, EXPERTS SAY.

Byline: Associated Press 

``Don't forget to wash your hands.''

It's more than just a mother's mantra: Each year, an estimated 40 million Americans get sick from bacteria transmitted by dirty hands.

Now doctors in Massachusetts have taken off the gloves in their fight to get people to follow that advice. Last week, they launched a two-year campaign featuring ``Soapy'' the cartoon soap bar.

Colds, flus, Hepatitis A, eye infections and dysentery are just some of the diseases easily transmitted with a handshake or a touch.

``It probably sounds incredibly boring to have someone say that by washing your hands you can prevent infection. But it's true,'' said Dr. Bela Matyas of the state Department of Public Health.

But washing your hands doesn't mean passing them under running water.

``If you did it in 15 or 20 seconds, then you clearly didn't spend enough time doing it,'' said Matyas, suggesting 30 seconds to a minute is better.

Before announcing the program Wednesday, Massachusetts Medical Society officials sprinkled white powder - synthetic ``germs'' - on the hands of several observers. About half an hour later, ultraviolet lights highlighted traces of the powder everywhere - on clothes, pens, hair, chairs and faces.