Addressing efficacy of everyday hygiene cleansing products in context of sustainable handwashing behaviour in the post-pandemic era

Simple hygiene behaviour such as washing hands is key to improving health of individuals and reducing community transmission of communicable diseases such as respiratory and enteric infections. Consistent and relentless messaging by global and local health authorities had resulted in heightened hygiene awareness amongst the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, many of the hygiene behaviours practiced during the pandemic have proven to be unsustainable in the immediate period following the pandemic. While CDC guidelines suggest washing hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds to prevent the spread of germs, a hygiene intervention’s effectiveness must be evaluated in context of the prevalent hygiene behaviour. Here we report our findings from an observational study conducted across India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates focusing on handwashing habit of individuals in the post-pandemic period. Across all geographies, the time spent for lathering product on skin (contact time) for a significant majority of individuals recruited for the study was found to be 10 seconds and less. To ensure that marketed hygiene formulations such as liquid cleansers and sanitizers are efficacious in inactivating pathogens under conditions practiced by the majority as a part of their daily hand washing practices, we have investigated the in-vitro antimicrobial efficacy of several hygiene cleansing formulations at 10 seconds of contact time. Our results show that well-formulated cleansing solutions can reduce the input titre of both bacterial and viral pathogens by 99.9% or more, even with brief contact. With the global resurgence of both existing and emerging pathogens in the post-pandemic world, promoting sustainable handwashing practices for infection prevention remains a challenge as it is deeply rooted in the socio-economic fabric of many countries. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct regular studies like this to reassure end-users and combat complacency regarding the composition of everyday hygiene products.