Technical Brief: Handwashing with Soap: A Key Part of the COVID-19 Response
Handwashing with soap, together with other public health interventions, will be key to curbing the transmission of COVID-19.
This technical brief offers guidelines for:
- Key moments for handwashing with soap during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Knowledge alone does not always lead to behavior change
- Integrate a range of handwashing determinants into promotion efforts
- Create handwashing infrastructure that enables behavior
- Use cues, reminders, and rewards to trigger handwashing behaviors
- Share stories to motivate handwashing
- Addressing common barriers to handwashing with soap
- Rapid interventions to promoting handwashing as part of COVID-19 response
- Online resources

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- Technical Brief: Creating a Real-Time Rumor Management System for COVID-19
- Technical Brief: Socially Marginalized Groups and COVID-19
- Technical Brief: Virtual Pretesting during COVID-19
- Technical Brief: Social and Behavior Change for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health during COVID-19
- Technical Brief: Using Social Media to Disseminate COVID-19 Information
- Technical Brief: Integrating Gender in the COVID-19 Response
- Technical Specifications Content Guide for Behaviors with High Potential to Prevent Zika
- WHO Technical Guidance Page
April 21, 2020