PREPAREDNESS, PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF COVID-19 IN PRISONS AND OTHER PLACES OF DETENTION 26 Hand hygiene Scrupulous hand hygiene is essential to reduce cross-contamination. It should be noted that: • • • • hand hygiene involves cleansing hands either with an alcohol-based hand rub or with soap and water; alcohol-based hand rubs are preferred if hands are not visibly soiled; if an alcohol-based hand rub is used, it should be at least 60% alcohol; always wash hands with soap and water when they are visibly soiled. All staff should apply the “My five moments for hand hygiene” approach to cleaning their hands: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) before touching a patient before any clean or aseptic procedure is performed after exposure to body fluid after touching a patient after touching a patient’s surroundings. More information on how to wash hands properly, in the form of a poster that can be adapted to the prison facility, is available on the WHO website.43 13.2 Advice for policing, border force and immigration enforcement activities For police, border force and immigration enforcement officers, there may be situations where an individual who needs to be arrested or is in custody is identified as potentially at risk of COVID-19.44 If assistance is needed for an individual who is symptomatic and identified as a possible COVID-19 case, the person should, wherever possible, be placed in a location away from others. If there is no physically separate room, people who are not involved in providing assistance should be asked to stay away from the individual. If barriers or screens are available, they may also be used. Appropriate IPC measures should be implemented. In activities that involve close contact with a symptomatic person who is suspected of having COVID-19 (such as interviewing at a distance of less than 1 metre, or arrest and restraint), staff should wear: • • • • 43 disposable gloves medical mask long-sleeved gown eye protection (e.g. face shield or goggles). How to handwash? [poster]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009 (https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/How_To_HandWash_Poster.pdf). For further information, see: Guidance for first responders and others in close contact with symptomatic people with potential COVID-19. London: Public Health England; 2020 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-interim-guidance-for-first-responders/interim-guidance-for-first-responders-and-others-in-closecontact-with-symptomatic-people-with-potential-2019-ncov). 44