Enhancing Handwashing at Major Airports to Combat Coronavirus Spread

Impact of Handwashing on Virus Transmission

Increasing handwashing practices at the world’s ten most influential airports could potentially reduce the spread of coronavirus by up to 37%. The transmission of the coronavirus and similar flu-type viruses primarily occurs through bodily fluids and physical interactions among individuals. Furthermore, air travel facilitates the rapid spread of viruses due to the confined nature of aircraft cabins.

Health Organizations’ Recommendations

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have both highlighted handwashing as the most effective and economical method for curtailing the spread of coronavirus.

Research on Handwashing Strategies

A recent study explored various handwashing strategies aimed at minimizing global disease transmission. Researchers utilized global air-traffic data from the 2017 Official Airline Guide, applying it to statistical models and simulations to analyze four distinct ‘what-if’ scenarios during flu-type epidemics.

Scenario Analysis

– **Scenario One**: Increased handwashing at all airports.
– **Scenario Two**: Enhanced handwashing only at the source of the disease.
– **Scenario Three**: Improved handwashing practices at the ten most influential airports in the global air transportation network.
– **Scenario Four**: Augmented handwashing at the ten most influential airports for each specific source of disease.

Among these scenarios, Scenario Three emerged as the most effective and least costly approach. This scenario focuses on implementing a handwashing strategy specifically at the ten most influential airports, which could be accomplished through increased facilities and public awareness campaigns.

While Scenario One was ideal, it proved to be cost-prohibitive and impractical. Scenarios Two and Four did show reductions in global disease transmission, but the improvements were not as significant as those predicted in Scenario Three.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The study acknowledged limitations in its assumptions regarding handwashing behavior. The researchers assumed uniformity in handwashing practices among the study population, despite variations influenced by cultural and societal factors. They encourage further research into personal handwashing habits to gain deeper insights.

Additionally, the researchers advocate for more studies on policy design and the implementation of handwashing strategies during air travel. Proper handwashing is a crucial preventative measure to mitigate disease transmission. The researchers suggest enhancing handwashing facilities and promoting public service announcements to improve handwashing behaviors.

Author Information

Written by Manuel Bangsil, PharmD, MBA, BCMAS

References

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2020). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Canada’s response – Canada.ca. Retrieved 18 February 2020, from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/canadas-reponse.html

Preve, M. (2020). Study shows increased hand hygiene at top 10 airports can reduce spread of coronavirus by 37 percent. Retrieved 15 February 2020, from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/sfra-ssi021220.php

Nicolaides, C., Avraam, D., Cueto‐Felgueroso, L., González, M., & Juanes, R. (2019). Hand‐hygiene mitigation strategies against global disease spreading through the air transportation network. Risk Analysis. doi: 10.1111/risa.13438