We are all familiar with the potential of indoor air to spread SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. While we are also urged to decontaminated our hands as a preventive measure against the virus, studies in support of the effectiveness of hand hygiene against virus spread have been lacking. This is in spite of the fact that SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses on contaminated hands can be spread directly to the body’s portals of entry (nose, mouth and the eyes) and also indirectly via high-touch environmental surfaces (HITES) and objects.
Kurahashi et al. (2023) of the University of Tsukuba (Tsukuba, Japan) recently performed extensive computational simulations based on real-life behavioral patterns to address this issue. Here is a summary of their findings, which reinforces the importance of proper hand hygiene at the right moment as a crucial measure for infection prevention and control (IPAC):
To document the importance of this measure, the researchers performed extensive computational simulations mimicking behavioral data from real-life situations to determine virus spread to common domestic articles from the hands of those returning home. The findings reinforce how crucial hand sanitization is immediately upon entering a domestic setting.
The team first collected data from over a thousand surveys on what individuals do immediately upon coming home. They then extracted the data to determine people’s behavior, location, and the objects touched and used that information to prepare probability tables on the likelihood of room-to-room transfer and that of coming into contact with various domestic objects. Further, the research team conducted actual tests to assess virus transfer between hands and the objects touched. Based on the collected information, the team performed numerous simulations on how viral spread could occur within a standard two-bedroom dwelling.
The findings established the significance of virus spread on what we do immediately upon returning home. To prevent the spread of the virus in domestic settings it was crucial to decontaminate hands at the entrance itself and before touching anything indoors.
These findings offer a much-needed insight on how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses can spread in an indoor setting through contact with household items. It also denotes how significant hand hygiene can be in conjunction with other IPAC measures such as masking and maintaining a safe distance.
Reference
Kurahashi, S. et al. (Jan. 2023). A tipping point of spreading viruses: Estimating the risk of household contact transmission of COVID-19. Frontiers in Physics. DOI 10.3389/fphy.2022.1044049.