One in 10 British people admit they still don't wash their hands after going to the toilet
The government has said one of the best ways to stay on top of the coronavirus pandemic is to regularly and thoroughly wash your hands.
But research has found one in 10 people admit that they still don’t wash their hands after going to the toilet, even in a world tainted by COVID-19.
This isn’t just in their own homes, either: 12% admitted they don’t wash their hands after going to the toilet in public.
Despite this slightly grim statistic, hand washing and sanitising has increased, according to research from hygiene services provider Citron Hygiene.
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People now wash their hands for an average of 19 seconds, up from 13 seconds pre-coronavirus.
While COVID-19 has a lot to answer for, an increase in hygiene levels has been noted across the board. In fact, 45% of people admitted that they’d cough in their hands and then not wash them before lockdown.
Three in 10 went as far as sneezing in their hands without washing them.
The eye-opening statistics show progress in some ways, but it’s concerning that – on average – one in 10 people are still using public toilets without washing their hands when they come out.
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Robert Guice, executive vice president at Citron Hygiene, said: “It’s everyone’s responsibility to stay hygienic but it is sad to see that many are not doing this.
“It’s shocking to still see more than 10% of the nation popping to the toilet and not washing their hands, when washing and sanitising your hands is the easiest and simplest way to stop the spread.
"It gives everyone more peace of mind when so much is out of your control.
“Despite habits shifting, there is still plenty of room for improvement, especially as restrictions ease and we are given more freedom - if not only for yourself, but for the benefit of others.”
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Another statistic highlighted in the research pertains to our mobile phone usage.
Before the pandemic, eight out of 10 people would opt not to wash their hands after using their mobile phones. This is now down to six in 10 in a coronavirus adjacent world.
British people are also more likely to wash their hands after partaking in a plethora of activities, from going to the supermarket to playing with pets.
