Are Healthcare Uniforms Covid-19 carriers?

In UK, there is a demand for urgent research into whether infectious diseases (Covid-19 included) are able to survive on linen and clothing, after being washed in a domestic setting. The situation is especially worrying, because many nurses and care home workers wash their uniforms at home and there are indications that some infection outbreaks in healthcare settings have been caused by inadequately managed washing equipment.

The Textile Services Association (TSA) in the UK is calling for Public Health England (PHE) to revise guidelines that could be considered as outdated. Although PHE recommends uniforms to be washed in commercial laundries, it is not compulsory and domestic washing is considered to be adequate. However, this is based on reviews published in 2007.

At the moment, experts are claiming that – especially in the Covid-19 pandemic –  it is high time for solid guidance on the matter. Compared to a household, processes and quality standards in a commercial laundry mean that they are much better equipped to deal with the risks concerning infectious textiles.

See also: The E-learning courses on E-hygiene Management in Industrial Laundries – link: here!