Handwashing frequencies, which saw all-time highs during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, have declined significantly over the last few months, opening the door for other infections in the future.
Handwashing Habits Decrease Since Start of Pandemic
Pre-COVID handwashing frequencies after using the restroom were abysmally low--likely contributing to preventable illness and death worldwide, especially among vulnerable demographics (children, elderly, and immuno-compromised).
According to a 2014 publication by the Wiley Online Library;
From the 42 studies reporting handwashing prevalence we estimate that approximately 19% of the world population washes hands with soap after contact with excreta (i.e. use of a sanitation facility or contact with children's excreta).
Meta-regression of risk estimates suggests that handwashing reduces the risk of diarrhoeal disease by 40% (risk ratio 0.60, 95% CI 0.53–0.68); however, when we included an adjustment for unblinded studies, the effect estimate was reduced to 23%.
Our results show that handwashing after contact with excreta is poorly practiced globally, despite the likely positive health benefits.
In response to the pandemic, handwashing frequencies during critical periods jumped significantly.
Comparing October 2019 with June 2020, the odds of a person remembering to wash their hands after coughing, sneezing or nose blowing were 2.3 times higher in 2020; before eating at a restaurant were 2.0 times higher; and before eating at home were 1.7 times higher, according to research published in the CDC's Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly.
In 2020, 71.2% of participants reported remembering to wash their hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing their noses compared with 53.3% in 2019.
For eating at a restaurant, the number increased from 55.2% in 2019 to 70.6% in 2020 and before eating it home it went from 62.8% in 2019 to 74.4% in 2020.
More people are remembering to wash their hands, research finds
However, concerningly, as the pandemic appears to be finally winding down, handwashing frequencies, though still comparatively high to previous years, are dwindling quickly.
According to the results of a recent survey:
- Handwashing frequencies have dropped an estimated 25% among US adults in the last 12 months.
- In the Spring of 2020, US adults washed their hands 10.5 times per day, on average.
- As of January 2021, that average had dropped to approximately 7.5 times per day.
The decline in handwashing frequencies tracks with a lower percentage of the population reportedly more conscious about germs--down from 89% in April 2020 to 78%.
Additionally, a gap appears to be widening regarding critical handwashing information resulting in poor habits.
- 39% of survey respondents were unaware their hands were less germy after washing with soap and water than after using hand sanitizer.
- Only 63% reported washing their hands with soap and water for an average of 21 seconds, and;
- 17% said they only wash for 5 to 10 seconds.
As troubling as those numbers are, the survey did highlight several positive trends among school-aged children.
- 79% of parents reported taking some sort of positive action to encourage their children to wash their hands, which included;
- 44% - Regularly asking their children to wash their hands
- 26% - Adding handwashing to their children's routine, and;
- 25% - Purchasing 'fun soaps' to make handwashing more engaging for children.
An additional 64% of parents stated their children's school or daycare built handwashing habits into students' daily routines.
Source:
Takeaway
Handwashing with soap and water several times per day, especially:
- After coughing, sneezing, using the restroom, or changing a diaper.
- Before eating, and;
- Before and after treating a sick person, preparing food, or touching surfaces in public venues;
is a critical component of public health that must be maintained regardless of pandemic status, or we risk sliding back down a path that results in preventable illness and death.
Effective cleaning and sanitization methods--specifically day porter services and targeted fomite sanitization services--are necessary to address lapses in occupant handwashing practices.
Outsourcing is a proven method for onboarding highly in-demand cleaning and sanitization services and experience for a fraction of the price of maintaining a similar service in-house.
If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation on-site assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!
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