​​What's the news. During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, hand hygiene compliance improved initially in acute care hospitals, but improvements have not been sustained, a study says. Using automated hand hygiene monitoring systems in 74 adult inpatient units and 10 pediatric inpatient units, a survey captured more than 35 million hand hygiene opportunities between January and May 2020, according to a January 2021 article in the American Journal of Infection Control. While further study is needed to determine the reason for the decline in compliance, the authors note that possible contributing factors include increased workload, limited supplies of hand hygiene products, and the use of gloves in lieu of hand hygiene.

Why it matters. Handwashing is among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations to slow the spread of COVID-19. Proper hand hygiene by healthcare workers is one of the most important practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections.

How ECRI can help. The guidance article Hand Hygiene and the Hand Hygiene Training Program explain hand hygiene techniques and offer recommendations for monitoring and improving compliance. Also see ECRI's COVID-19 Resource Center for resources to help healthcare and aging services organizations protect patients, residents, and workers and the Healthcare Recovery Center—COVID-19 ​for recovery-related guidance, tools, and resources across ECRI's entire solution suite.