The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have published a technical brief on water, sanitation and health care waste management that is relevant to viruses, including coronaviruses. The text supplements existing documents by referencing and summarizing the WHO guidance on this topic.
This technical brief is written, in particular, for water and sanitation practitioners and providers, although it is also useful for health care providers who want to know more about water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) risks and practices.
In this regard, the document asserts that ensuring good WASH and waste management practices in communities, homes, schools, marketplaces and health care facilities will further help to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The basic recommendations include frequent hand washing. In terms of management of drinking-water and sanitation services, it states that extra measures are not needed.
On the other hand, the report notes that 'many co-benefits will be realized by safely managing water and sanitation services and applying good hygiene practices. Such efforts will prevent many other infectious diseases, which cause millions of deaths each year'.
The information in the document is based on the current knowledge of the COVID-19 virus and will be updated as new information becomes available, according to the WHO.
Read the full report: [Water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management for the COVID-19 virus].
