Association Between Good Personal Hygiene AND Covid-19 Pandemic: A Preventive Measure

Dear Editor, The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases keeps spreading across the globe. Consistent personal hygiene is said to be the easiest way to avoid the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly emphasized regular hand-washing as the simple way to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Frequent hand washing (hand hygiene) prevents life-threatening diseases as reported in numerous researches. Another study found that regular hand-washing with soap has positive impact on respiratory diseases, the practice cut infections by around 15 percent or even more. Previous study reveals that SARS-CoV-2 could be spread through fecal-oral route. A research conducted at University of Michigan found that use of surgical masks and alcohol-based hand sanitizers could cut the spread of flu-like symptoms (1). As COVID-19 continues to affect many people worldwide, a public health specialists recommends a daily shower and brushing teeth at least twice daily. Many studies reveals that personal hygiene is very essential in protection against diseases (2). COVID-19 spreads through droplets when an infected person cough or sneeze, and sometimes through contaminated surfaces (3). During this COVID-19 pandemic promoting hand washing behaviors are needed to prevent the spread of this disease. Surfaces should be clean with disinfectant regularly, avoid traveling with a fever or cough, and stay separately at home if you are sick. The chief of World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that since the viable vaccine isn’t available, people should take control of their own health and follow the guidance regarding the self-protection against the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19).