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Americans reported remembering to wash their hands in more situations since the COVID-19 pandemic, although some groups are still lagging in hand hygiene, researchers found.

Compared with in October 2019, the odds of adults remembering to wash their hands in June 2020 after coughing, sneezing, and blowing their nose were 2.3 times higher, 2.0 times higher before eating at a restaurant, and 1.7 times higher before eating at home, after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, reported Julia Haston, MD, of the CDC, and colleagues.

However, men, younger adults ages 18-24, and non-Hispanic white adults were less likely to remember to wash their hands in multiple situations, the authors wrote in the .

Noting that hand hygiene prevents COVID-19 transmission via respiratory routes, and oral-fecal routes in the cases of other infectious diseases, the researchers recommended past strategies to promote handwashing, such as "active and passive hygiene education, provision of handwashing supplies, environmental cues, and health communication."

Haston's group examined data from an online market research panel, where panel members are recruited by mail through probability, address-based sampling. They can receive points for participating in the panel to redeem for rewards later on.

October 2019 data covered 3,624 people, and June 2020 data included 4,053; they were similar in demographic characteristics. Both groups were asked, "In which of these situations/settings are you most likely to remember to wash your hands?"

• After using the bathroom at home

• After using the bathroom in public

• Before eating at home

• Before eating at a restaurant

• Before preparing food at home

• After sneezing, coughing, or blowing one's nose

Not surprisingly, around 95% of participants in both surveys reported remembering to wash their hands after using the bathroom in public, and around 85% of both groups reported doing so after using the bathroom at home and before preparing food at home.

However, the largest increase was among those who reported remembering to wash their hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose (53% in 2019 vs 71% in 2020). Smaller but significant increases were seen among the proportion of respondents who remembered to wash their hands before eating at a restaurant (55% vs 71%) and before eating at home (63% vs 74%).

Men were significantly less likely than women to remember to wash their hands before eating at a restaurant, preparing food, after using the bathroom at home and after experiencing respiratory symptoms compared with women in both years.

Younger adults ages 18-24 were also less likely to remember washing their hands before eating in a restaurant, before food preparation, and having respiratory symptoms versus adults ages 45-74.

Black participants were more likely to remember to wash their hands before eating at home, eating at a restaurant, using the bathroom at home, and experiencing respiratory symptoms versus white participants.

While the largest increase was among those who remembered to wash their hands after experiencing respiratory symptoms, less than 75% reported washing their hands after having respiratory symptoms, and before eating in a restaurant or eating at home. Said Haston and colleagues, "[E]fforts are needed to communicate the importance of handwashing in these specific situations."

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