Hand Washing Compliance and COVID-19
Hand washing remains a key measure for intercepting the dispatch of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, Hand Washing Compliance must be perpetuated properly using soap and water for at least seconds. In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, various hospitals have imposed mandatory hand washing to everyone prior entering the facilities, and when leaving
Gathering infection prevention data in the current environment may be challenging for most health care facilities with resources being diverted to COVID-19 outbreak management. Process measures such as the direct observation of Hand Washing Compliance compliance may also be compromised. Hospitals with automated hand hygiene monitoring systems have an advantage during this pandemic with the ability to quickly gather robust hand hygiene data with minimal investment of personnel time.
With COVID-19 transmission mainly spreading between people through direct, indirect (through contaminated objects or surfaces), or close contact with infected people via mouth and nose secretions, washing hands with soap and running water is of critical importance. To stop the spread of COVID-19, along with other COVID appropriate behaviors, the practice of handwashing at regular intervals is a must, after coughing or sneezing, when caring for the sick, after using the toilet, before eating, while preparing food and after handling animals or animal waste. Handwashing after touching common surfaces such as doorknobs or handles, or after one comes back home from visiting a public place will keep ourselves and others around us safe.
“Promoting hand hygiene at all levels of health care is also critical. Hand hygiene, a very simple action, is well accepted to be one of the primary modes of reducing health care-associated infection and of enhancing patient safety,” the Regional Director said.