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At the time writing this editorial, COVID-19 has spread around the world with virtually no region left untouched. The speed of the spread and the alarming death rates have seen many countries and jurisdictions introduce measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and handwashing features very strongly in all of these. Handwashing has received considerable attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a simple, primary preventive measure that most people can do independently. Handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 s or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers when soap and water are not available is the first line of defence in stopping the spread of infection (CDC 2020). There is ample evidence, however, that many years before the epidemic handwashing among healthcare workers (HCW) remained an area that needed improvement (CDC 2019, Erasmus et al., 2010).

Our hands are a critical …