WHO Europe launches new guidance on hand washing

On 5 May 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region celebrated World Hand Hygiene Day with the launch of three improvement tools, which highlight the roles healthcare workers, infection prevention and control (IPC) experts, and hospital managers play in achieving effective hand hygiene.

These tools are designed to support the transforming of IPC guidance into action, with the aim of ensuring that local improvements associated with evidence-based IPC recommendations, including those for COVID-19, influenza and other infectious diseases, can reliably be put in place.

The tools cover three specific areas: 

• respiratory and hand hygiene 
• personal protective equipment (PPE) 
• environmental cleaning, waste and linen management, and all elements of standard, droplet, contact and airborne precautions

Source: WHO, 5 May 2021