Hand Hygiene News and Research

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Sociopaths less likely to comply with COVID mask, hygiene and social distancing

Now, a new study by researchers from Brazil has found that people who are unconcerned with adhering to measures to mitigate the COVID-19 spread tend to manifest higher levels of traits tied to antisocial personality disorder, which is also known as sociopathy.

24 Aug 2020

Breast milk is not a potential source of infection, indicates study

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread around the world, so do the concerns of breastfeeding mothers.Although there have been no documented cases to date of an infant contracting COVID-19 as a result of consuming infected breast milk, the critical question of whether there is potential for this form of transmission remains.

20 Aug 2020

Winter is not the time to become complacent about COVID-19

We are delighted to see the reduction in the number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection occurring in the United Kingdom in recent weeks, with currently 1 in 1900 people in the UK having coronavirus infection.

19 Aug 2020

The world is 'nowhere near herd immunity,' WHO says

Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that the world is nowhere near the amount of coronavirus immunity needed to induce herd immunity, where enough people would develop the antibodies to stop the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

19 Aug 2020

COVID-19 - England's lockdown vs. Sweden's herd immunity

A recent study published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020 shows that lockdown is an effective way to reduce the extent and speed of infections in a country.

17 Aug 2020

Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted via feces?

A new study by researchers at the University of Oxford and the Trip Medical Database and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in August 2020 as part of the ongoing Open Evidence Review on Transmission Dynamics of COVID-19 reports the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in feces and the need for precautions to prevent orofecal spread in the surroundings of confirmed or suspected cases.

12 Aug 2020

Face masks protect from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses

Now a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in August 2020, therefore, presents the results of a meta-analysis that takes account of the lack of compliance with mask-wearing in RCTs, as well as the lag between the event and the measurable effects.

6 Aug 2020

Five alternative methods of SARS-CoV-2 suppression

The current pandemic has proved to be challenging to control without stringent and comprehensive non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs), relying mostly on isolation and contact tracing of cases, along with social distancing. However, strategies like these have a huge human cost in terms of restriction of social interactions, resulting in depressive tendencies, disruption of economic activity, and loss of educational resources.

3 Aug 2020

Cloth face masks have potential to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 viruses

A literature review coordinated by Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and McMaster University in Canada demonstrates that cloth face masks provide clinically useful levels of filtration, which has the potential to reduce the spread of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

3 Aug 2020

Study finds fungal isolates with high levels of virulence in different hospitals

A group of researchers from Brazil, Denmark, Italy and Spain analyzed 884 samples of fungi of the genus Candida collected from 16 hospitals and found a significant number of clusters in more than one hospital.

29 Jul 2020

Face masks do not lead to false sense of security, shows study

Existing limited evidence suggests that wearing face coverings to protect against COVID-19 does not lead to a false sense of security and is unlikely to increase the risk of infection through wearers foregoing other behaviours such as good hand hygiene, say researchers from the University of Cambridge and King's College London.

27 Jul 2020

Assessing the effectiveness of healthcare protocols in epidemics

In attempts to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, different authorities have adopted a variety of non-pharmacological interventions (NPI).

23 Jul 2020

Breastfeeding support for new mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic grips the world, concerns about transmission of the highly infectious causative agent – severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - from mother to the baby are valid.

21 Jul 2020

Cloth face coverings, masks are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19, study says

Cloth face coverings, even homemade masks made with the correct material, are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 - for the wearer and those around them - according to a new study published today from Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science.

9 Jul 2020

Excel Dryer offers hygienic touchless solution to achieve completely dry hands

The topic of hygiene has come to the forefront in mainstream media as reopening plans are introduced around the globe.

3 Jul 2020

Effectiveness of NPI's in COVID-19 - conclusions are predictable, NPI's work

Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* looks at how the effects of these NPIs can be quantified in order to keep the public health response to COVID-19 at an adequate level. While NPIs are known to reduce the peak of the infections, in general, the researchers wanted to quantify different components separately.

2 Jul 2020

Survey: Almost half of the children are not using soap when washing hands at school

Leading hygiene experts are stressing the importance of effective hand hygiene measures and education in schools as children begin returning to educational settings following the COVID-19 pandemic.

1 Jul 2020

Researchers search for SARS-CoV-2 fomites on an operational Italian bus

A new study reports the results of a viral detection study carried out in buses used for public transport across the final week of lockdown, as travel restrictions were being lifted step by step. This study by Italian researchers and published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in June 2020, may help to understand how a virus can spread within a city bus during normal operation and how effective are the measures used to protect against such transmission.

30 Jun 2020

Identification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in healthcare HVAC units

Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in June 2020 reports that viral RNA has been found to occur in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and AC) units in healthcare facilities. However, it is not clear if this represents a possible mechanism of viral transmission.

30 Jun 2020

WHO says worst is yet to come as COVID-19 pandemic speeds up

The true number of global infections and deaths, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is likely to be significantly higher due to lack of testing. Some people are also asymptomatic, which means they had no symptoms of the illness.

29 Jun 2020