Why hand hygiene remains important

In most people's day-to-day lives, the decline in hand hygiene awareness can quite likely be explained by the fact that a large proportion of the population are now vaccinated. [4] As a result, the virus has lost its initial terror for many. The "new normal" has also inevitably led to a familiarisation effect. This is hardly surprising. After all, it is quite difficult for most people to maintain a high level of attention and vigilance around the clock.

In a study by the Kiilto group in 2020, 65% of respondents said they always disinfect their hands when entering public buildings. Two years later this figure dropped to "only" 48%. [5]

But why are HHC levels also falling in the health sector? After all, hand hygiene has long been part of the daily routine for employees, and is second nature to most.

The HHC decline has various causes. One major factor is certainly due to professional disinfectants no longer being available in many clinics because of the sudden worldwide increase in demand. As a result, staff often washed their hands instead of disinfecting them. However, some health workers experienced skin irritations or eczema after some time as a result, since frequent hand washing with soap and water is usually less gentle on the skin than disinfection with high-quality products such as Sterillium®, which have refatting properties. [8]

Conversely, only those healthcare workers whose hands had not previously been damaged by frequent washing used hand disinfectants. This is because the alcohol contained in disinfectants often causes a burning sensation on skin that has been damaged by irritation or eczema. Both aspects (hand washing instead of hand disinfection as well as refraining from hand disinfection due to injured skin) could explain the worsening HCC.

Another explanation for the decline in compliance could be that many healthcare workers were so busy caring for COVID-19 patients that, at times, they simply did not have time for proper hand hygiene. [9] This reasoning still seems plausible today. After all, many clinics still suffer from staff shortages, time pressure and high workloads even after the pandemic.

Surely a certain familiarisation also began to take hold in the health sector. As the pandemic progressed, the initial fear of this new type of virus diminished and many professionals resumed their pre-pandemic habits. [10]

However, certain national and regional circumstances can also explain a lack of HHC at times. For example, a Chinese study found that medical personnel increasingly wore gloves during the pandemic instead of disinfecting their hands. [11] The fact that workers resorted to this measure shows that even despite the increased awareness of hand hygiene in the pandemic, there is still a need for further education. After all, wearing gloves is not a substitut e for proper hand disinfection for healthcare professionals. Actually, hands must be disinfected before and after each wearing of gloves.

For effective and correct hand hygiene, however, not only "when" but also "how" is crucial. The following points should be observed by healthcare workers:

• Ensure hands are dry before disinfecting.
• Apply sufficient disinfectant (approx. 2-3 pumps from the dispenser) into the palm of the hand.
• Cover the entire hand with disinfectant.
• When rubbing in, pay special attention to the fingertips, thumbs, and the spaces between the fingers.
• Rub disinfectant in thoroughly for at least 30 seconds.

To (re)increase compliance among medical staff, various measures can be taken – from regular staff training and choosing a skin-friendly disinfectant such as Sterillium® to managers setting a good example for the entire staff in terms of exemplary compliance.

Want to find out more about this and how to improve poor HHC? Our article on compliance tells you everything you need to know.