Image to help understand the article
Most people wash, but fewer use soap
SEOUL, South Korea — The share of South Korean adults who washed their hands after using a public restroom rose to 86% in the first half of 2026, according to a government survey. But fewer than half used soap, and only a small fraction followed the recommended 30-second washing method.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the National Medical Center observed 4,560 adults at 120 public restrooms nationwide from May 28 through June 30. An additional 1,800 people participated in exit interviews.
The hand-washing rate increased 1.9 percentage points from 84.1% a year earlier. Soap use rose from 45% to 46.7%, while 39.3% of those observed washed with water alone and 14% did not wash their hands.
Average washing time remains below guidance
Among people who used soap, 11.4% scrubbed all surfaces of their hands under running water for at least 30 seconds. That was up from 10.3% the previous year, but the rate has remained near 10% for the past three years.
The average total hand-washing time was 13.9 seconds, up from 12.2 seconds a year earlier. People spent an average of 5.8 seconds rubbing their hands with soap, an increase of one second. Health officials said both figures remained well below the recommended 30 seconds.
The findings also showed a gap between perception and behavior. In exit interviews, 51.2% of respondents said they routinely washed their hands properly. Observations found that only 11.4% of soap users completed the recommended 30-second process.
Government expands survey schedule
The agency expanded the survey from once a year to twice a year beginning in 2026. The second round is scheduled for Oct. 6 through Nov. 6, with combined results expected in December.
A public hand-washing challenge is running from Oct. 12 through Oct. 31. Officials also plan an interactive hand-washing program at the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival, an event centered on Korea’s seaweed-wrapped rice rolls, from Oct. 23 through Oct. 25.
KDCA Commissioner Lim Seung-kwan described hand-washing as a basic, no-cost measure that anyone can use to prevent infectious diseases. He urged the public to use soap and water for 30 seconds, particularly before and after preparing or eating food and when leaving or returning home, as South Korea prepares for winter respiratory illnesses including influenza.
Comments
Post a Comment