Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 11th April 2024 Issue no. 1109
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
A permanent change for the better in handwashing practice?
In the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak, Bradley Corporation conducted its Healthy Hand Washing Survey to gauge the impact the virus has had on American's hygiene habits.
The survey found the majority of Americans are following the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention's (CDC) hand washing guidelines.
A wonderful 90% say they are washing their hands more frequently or more thoroughly or longer and 78% are washing their hands six or more times a day. That's compared to just 37% who washed up that often prior to the outbreak.
In addition, 77% are washing their hands for at least 20 seconds or longer, per CDC recommendations. Prior to the Coronavirus, the majority of Americans were not washing their hands for long enough. 57% estimated that they washed for just five to 15 seconds.
It seems that these healthy actions may continue, since 88% of Americans believe they are extremely or somewhat likely to maintain their increased hand washing regimen once the virus has passed.
The Healthy Hand Washing Survey was conducted online over two days last week, with a representative panel of 1,111 American adults and youth. Participants were from around the country were 14 years and older, and were fairly evenly split between men and women (49% and 51%).
While Americans are taking action, they also are quite worried. 70% say they are extremely or very concerned about contracting the virus, although 12% indicate they are not very or not at all concerned.
As expected, germ awareness is running high, with 89% of Americans now more conscious of germs than before the pandemic. In fact, 91% say it's extremely or somewhat important that public washrooms have touchless fixtures - presumably so they can avoid contact with potentially germy fixtures and surfaces.
"During these unprecedented times, hand washing and germ avoidance is top of mind for almost everyone," says Jon Dommisse, director of strategy and corporate development for Bradley Corp. "The health benefits of hand washing can't be emphasised enough, particularly during virus outbreaks like this. Hand washing is a simple, effective and inexpensive way to remove germs from our skin and help prevent a possible infection."
Fortunately, Americans are getting the message that hand washing is a frontline defence, with 71% correctly believing that their hands are less germy after washing with soap and water than after using hand sanitiser - a fact supported by the CDC.
For almost 100 years, Bradley has created the most complete and advanced commercial washrooms and comprehensive solutions that make industrial environments safe. Serving commercial, institutional and industrial building markets worldwide, it is a leading source for multi-function hand washing and drying fixtures, accessories, partitions, solid plastic lockers, as well as emergency safety fixtures and electric tankless heaters for industrial applications.
16th April 2020