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According to a study, almost half of the people do not wash their hands after using the toilet in hospitals. As part of a study conducted by the University of Surrey in the UK, 43.7 percent of toilet users in a Danish clinic did not use the sink after relieving themselves. In some weeks, the figure was as high as 61.8 percent. “This raises serious concerns about compliance with hygiene regulations in high-risk environments,” the study concluded.
Hand washing is not a habit
“Although great emphasis has been placed on hand hygiene during the pandemic, the results suggest that regular hand washing is still not a consistent habit—even in places where cleanliness is critical to preventing the spread of infection,” the university warned in a statement on Tuesday. According to the information provided, sensors were installed in two public toilet facilities at Bispebjerg Hospital in the Copenhagen region of Denmark for the study, directly on the toilets and on the pipes of the sinks.
Their use was evaluated over 19 weeks. If the taps were not used two minutes before or four minutes after flushing the toilet, this was counted as failure to wash hands.
Experts recommend awareness campaigns
“Many people may assume that hand washing is now a matter of course—especially in hospitals and after Covid-19,” said the study’s lead author, Pablo Pereira-Doel. “But our data paints a different picture.” He and his co-author, Benjamin Gardner, are promoting awareness campaigns.
Incidentally, the German Federal Institute for Public Health advises not only to always wash your hands after using the toilet, but also to do so thoroughly. This should take at least 20 to 30 seconds—roughly the same amount of time it takes to hum “Happy Birthday” twice. And in public toilets, it is better not to turn the taps on and off with your bare hands. It is better to use a disposable towel or your elbow.
- source: oe24.at/picture: pixabay.com
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