Viewpoint - Handwashing and COVID-19: Simple, right there…?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Global Health
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• COVID-19 highlights the lack of proven pharmaceutical interventions and vaccines, making prevention paramount.
• Handwashing, a known disease prevention method, is neglected despite its critical role, particularly during pandemics.
• Over 26% of the global population lacks home handwashing access, with over 50% in low-income countries facing this issue, often due to unaffordable or unavailable water.

Purpose of the Study:

• To emphasize the critical need for prioritizing and funding accessible water services in underserved regions.
• To advocate for water services as a foundational investment for health, dignity, and development in the post-COVID-19 era.
• To highlight the cost-benefit advantages of water and sanitation investments, proven effective even before the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• This viewpoint paper synthesizes existing knowledge on handwashing, water access, and public health investments.
• It analyzes the implications of water scarcity for communicable disease prevention, using COVID-19 as a case study.
• The paper draws on global cost-benefit analyses of water and sanitation projects.

Main Results:

• Lack of affordable and reliable water access significantly hinders effective handwashing, a key preventive measure.
• Water and sanitation investments demonstrate significant net benefits across all developing regions, considering health and time savings.
• The COVID-19 crisis underscores the urgent necessity of addressing water access disparities.

Conclusions:

• Governments and donors must prioritize and generously fund affordable, reliable, and accessible water services globally.
• Investing in water services is essential for pandemic preparedness and response, directly impacting health outcomes.
• Accessible water is a fundamental requirement for health, dignity, and sustainable development worldwide.