Why Do Some People Not Wash Their Hands?

The year 2020 has become a year of personal hygiene, which has been exaggerated due to the spread of an airborne contagious viral infection called COVID-19, whose main source of transmission is unwashed and not sanitized hands. Why do some people not wash their hands when it is the number one priority in self hygienic routine for which all humans are obliged to follow to prevent multiple sorts of diseases.

Personal Hygiene requirements

Why do some people not wash their hands, even acknowledging that it is the ultimate source of spread of several viral and bacterial diseases and infection, due to which more than one person can be affected.  Non-hand washers after using bathroom facilities are the biggest risk of alarmingly widespread of thousands of diseases. It has been advised multiple times, along with posting hand washing signs inside thousands of public restrooms to wash their hands with soap and water before leaving the area.

A study done in 2015 showed the results that only 26.2% of people used hand washing with water and soap after a potential fecal contact. It is yet to understand the logic behind, why do some people not wash their hands when it is essential to rid the hands of all bacteria and viruses, which might have been attracted to the hands. Furthermore, these dirty hands could further contaminate multiple areas which they might later touch, along with their face and mouth, giving free passage to deadly and harmful pathogens that will get inside the human body to cause multiple diseases, which might result in fatalities.

In some areas of the world, there is a shortage of adequate facilities of soap and clean water in the poor and needy population, which can be an explanation behind, why do some people not wash their hands, but this is only applicable in some certain areas of the world. In the underdeveloped countries, only 27% of the general public have proper access to soap and other personal hygiene products, out of which only 50% of the people use them after going to the toilet.

Impact of COVID-19 on hand washing

Hand washing is one of the topmost personal preventive measures to help combat against COVID-19 infection and spreading of the virus. The World Health Organization has urged the general population across the globe to follow to the protocol by hand washing with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds, which is required to thoroughly remove any traces of unrequited pathogens that might negatively affect the human body and can cause fatal issues.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which is directly affecting every individual globally, why do some people not wash their hands as it might become a source of further spread of the infection. The regular use of hand washing is required to prevent all types of infection, especially decreasing the risk of development of respiratory illness, majorly COVID-19, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome by 44%.

COVID-19 is an airborne infection that can be acquired via contagious droplets, which are an after effect of sneezing and coughing, for which hand frequent hand washing and sanitization are appropriate for prevention. There has been no scientific reason regarding why do some people not wash their hands, except lack of self-hygiene which is a personal preference of the individual.

The reason behind, why do some people not wash their hands might be due to some psychological factors that discourage the individual from washing their hands. Experts around the world are working on trying to increase the rate of personal hygienic activities in individuals, including frequent and proper hand washing with an adequate amount of soap and water. People who have developed the habit of frequent hand washing are generally less ill as compared to those who lack hygienic activities.

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