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What Have we Learned About Promoting Hand Hygiene During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
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The brief is focused on hand hygiene. We have long understood the importance of hand hygiene for the reduction of diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections, hospital-acquired infections, and during outbreaks like cholera and Ebola. Handwashing with soap or alcohol-based hand rub is an effective COVID-19 prevention measure, along with physical distancing and appropriate mask use. Despite the many benefits of hand hygiene, the actual practice remains low globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has already led to short-term improvements in hygiene behavior but it is now critical to translate these improvements into longer-term handwashing habits and policy change so that the immediate threat of COVID-19 is addressed and progress can be made to reduce the burden of other fecal-oral diseases.