Final answer:
Soap and water handwashing is recommended by the CDC in many situations including before and after certain activities or contact with potential pathogens, with particular emphasis on its use over hand sanitizer in preventing diseases such as COVID-19.
Step-by-step explanation:
The soap and water hand hygiene technique is absolutely preferred in certain situations because it is highly effective at removing certain types of pathogens. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) particularly recommends handwashing with soap and water at critical times, such as before, during, and after food handling; before eating; before and after caring for someone sick; before and after treating a wound; after using the toilet; and after contact with animals or their waste. Additionally, soap and water are preferred over hand sanitizer to prevent the spread of specific illnesses like norovirus, Clostridium difficile, and in the context of a global concern, it is highly recommended to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is important to note that for health-care workers, hand hygiene is paramount, and more thorough techniques such as surgical scrubbing are employed to prevent the transmission of pathogens in clinical settings.