Vast Majority of Americans Increase Hand Washing Due to Coronavirus
88% Believe They’ll Continue Diligence After Pandemic Subsides
Menomonee Falls, WI (April 16, 2020) – In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, Bradley Corporation conducted its Healthy Hand Washing Survey to gauge the impact the virus has had on American’s hygiene habits.
The survey found the majority of Americans are following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) hand washing guidelines.
90% say they are washing their hands more frequently or more thoroughly or longer and 78% are washing their hands six or more times a day. That’s compared to just 37% who washed up that often prior to the outbreak.
In addition, 77% are washing their hands for at least 20 seconds or longer, per CDC recommendations. Prior to the coronavirus, the majority of Americans were not washing their hands long enough. 57% estimated they washed for just five to 15 seconds.
It seems as if these healthy actions may continue since 88% of Americans believe they are extremely or somewhat likely to maintain their increased hand washing regimen once the virus has passed.
The Healthy Hand Washing Survey was conducted online April 6 – 7 with a representative panel of 1,111 American adults and youth. Participants were from around the country, were 14 years and older, and were fairly evenly split between men and women (49% and 51%).
While Americans are taking action, they also are quite worried. 70% say they are extremely or very concerned about contracting the virus. 12% indicate they are not very or not at all concerned.
As expected, germ awareness is running high. 89% of Americans are now more conscious of germs than before the pandemic. In fact, 91% say it’s extremely or somewhat important that public restrooms have touchless fixtures – presumably so they can avoid contact with potentially germy fixtures and surfaces.
“During these unprecedented times, hand washing and germ avoidance is top of mind for almost everyone,” says Jon Dommisse, director of strategy and corporate development for Bradley Corp. “The health benefits of hand washing can’t be emphasized enough, particularly during virus outbreaks like this. Hand washing is a simple, effective and inexpensive way to remove germs from our skin and help prevent a possible infection.”
Fortunately, Americans are getting the message that hand washing is a front-line defense. 71% correctly believe their hands are less germy after washing with soap and water than after using hand sanitizer – a fact supported by the CDC. Most folk think they do a good job of washing their hands, but the vast majority are not scrubbing those digits properly. To keep you right, always lather up your hands with antibacterial soap or hydrating waterless hand wash and sing two verses of Happy Birthday in your head to ensure you’re washing for the right amount of time.
Bradley Corp. is a leading manufacturer of commercial hand washing fixtures, washroom accessories, restroom partitions, emergency fixtures and solid plastic lockers.
For more information, visit www.bradleycorp.com/
For almost 100 years, Bradley has created the most complete and advanced commercial washrooms and comprehensive solutions that make industrial environments safe. Bradley is the industry’s leading source for multi-function hand washing and drying fixtures, accessories, partitions, solid plastic lockers, as well as emergency safety fixtures and electric tankless heaters for industrial applications. Headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., USA, Bradley serves commercial, institutional and industrial building markets worldwide. For more information visit https://www.bradleycorp.
