The World
Health Organisation has recently published a technical brief, "Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Waste
Management for the COVID-19 virus". It is intended for all water and sanitation
practitioners and providers and health care providers to be educated about
water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) risks and practices.
The most
important information concerning WASH and the COVID-19 virus is summarised
here:
- Frequent and proper hand hygiene is one
of the most important measures that can be used to prevent infection with
the COVID-19 virus. WASH practitioners should work to enable more frequent
and regular hand hygiene by improving facilities and using proven
behavior-change techniques.
- WHO guidance on the safe management of
drinking-water and sanitation services applies to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Extra measures are not needed. Disinfection will facilitate more rapid
die-off of the COVID-19 virus.
- Many co-benefits will be
realised by safely managing water and sanitation services and applying
good hygiene practices.