Access to WASH (Water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities in the Pacific Islands is essential to combat COVID-19

Hygiene and access to water are pivotal in the fight against coronavirus. Handwashing has been proved to minimize contraction of the virus making access to WASH facilities a priority in the Pacific Islands.

Although there have been improvements in access to WASH facilities such as in Suva, Fiji, the majority of the Pacific Islands still lack appropriate WASH facilities, making the containment of COVID-19 difficult. Rural areas particularly, are at greater risk of contracting the virus due to a higher number of households with no water and soap facilities like in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Teaching about hygiene, sanitation, and expanding the coverage of WASH facilities across the Pacific Islands will aid the prevention of contracting COVID-19.

Full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanwpc/article/PIIS2666-6065(20)30006-7/fulltext