Hygienic aspects of anti COVID-19 measures

Abstract

The aim of this analytical review was to hygienically assess non-specific prevention of the COVID-19 infection. Such measures have been examined profoundly both by Russian and foreign researchers all over the world. The pandemic of this new coronavirus infection has shown that sanitary and preventive measures are among the most significant components in fighting against it, along with anti-epidemic activities and treatment measures, development of new vaccines and medications. All over the world, many countries introduce several sanitary-epidemiological and social measures to prevent spreading of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The review dwells on the results obtained by investigating effectiveness of non-specific prevention of the new coronavirus infection in different countries. As illustrated in the review, it was important to introduce restrictive measures with their major aim being to prevent (or limit) the infection transmission by airborne droplets or through household contacts. Researchers performed hygienic assessment of personal protective equipment used for protection of respiratory organs and hand skin and developed recommendations on its safe and effective use and utilization. Self-isolation as a restrictive measure to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading was a temporary one. Nevertheless, during the pandemic peak billions of people all over the world had to remain at home after the strict self-isolation had been introduced. The review provides some data on estimating the level of commitment among population to follow recommendations on limiting the infection spread in Russia and abroad. In Russia, there is a reliable and effective state infra-structure of public healthcare. It made it possible to keep the pandemic situation under control starting from the early days when cases of pneumonia with unspecified etiology were reported in December 2019 and the first COVID-19 cases were registered in the country. Several measures were introduced including administrative, organizational, technical and sanitary-hygienic ones. However, it was a challenging task to create a relevant response to the COVID-19 pandemic that the public healthcare system in Russia had to tackle.

Keywords

• covid-19
• pandemic
• public health
• non-specific prevention
• risk assessment
• face masks
• gloves
• social distancing
• self-isolation