Estimating the impact of handwashing on risk of severe COVID-19 in Zimbabwe
This paper estimatesknock on impacts on the risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease across Zimbabwe.
Abstract
Infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can lead to different clinical outcomes, ranging from no symptoms through to death. Hand hygiene has been recommended by the WHO and CDC to reduce the risk of viral transmission. Furthermore, the factors that affect the severity of COVID-19 include age, smoking and presence of underlying comorbidities. Given that respiratory illness is one such comorbidity and is related to hand hygiene, it is plausible that improving access to handwashing could lower the risk of severe COVID-19. In this paper, we estimate the potential impact of improved access to handwashing on the risk of respiratory illness and its knock on impacts on the risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease across Zimbabwe. Results show that the current risk of severe disease is heterogeneous across the country, due to differences in individual characteristics and household conditions. This study demonstrates how household level improved access to handwashing could lead to reductions in the risk of severe COVID-19 of up to 16% at the district level. Taken alongside the likely impact on transmission of SARS-CoV-2 itself, as well as countless other pathogens, this result adds further support for the expansion of access to handwashing across the country.
This work is part of the COVID19 Mobility Analytics Task Force project
Citation
Hugh Sturrock, Sophie Ayling, Sveta Milusheva, Yi Rong Hoo, George Joseph, (2021) Estimating the impact of handwashing on risk of severe COVID-19 in Zimbabwe
Link
Estimating the impact of handwashing on risk of severe COVID-19 in Zimbabwe