“Frequent handwashing with soap and hot water for 20 seconds is a proven way to reduce disease transmission,” said Marc Lipsitch, Professor of Epidemiology and Director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “It is one of the simplest and most effective things we can do to prevent ourselves and our loved ones from getting infected.”

And yet well-stocked school restrooms and healthy handwashing habits are not always the norm. A recent investigation by the Boston Globe revealed that public health inspectors had found problems in 89 of 111 Boston Public Schools bathrooms. In Detroit, students filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Education noting nonworking sinks and lack of basic supplies such as toilet paper. The issues extend beyond infrastructure. “New York City teachers have described elementary schools that refuse to allow students to use bathroom sinks because washing hands ‘wastes time’ and ‘causes incidents (such as water fights),’” says Harvard Graduate School of Education Professor Meira Levinson.

“This is a good time to turn these approaches around. By investing in bathroom maintenance and improvements and by changing the culture around handwashing, schools have an opportunity to show students both that their health and wellbeing are critically important and that they can be part of a public health solution that will help others.”
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Schools should build disease-prevention practices into daily schedules.
Add 5 minutes to lunch and recess periods to ensure students have time to wash their hands.
Build in the practice of handwashing throughout the day, during transition times.
Provide hand sanitizer at school entrances.
Set up hand-sanitizer stations in each classroom, so that each time children return to the classroom, they get a squirt. Students should be taught to spread the sanitizer evenly and entirely over both hands and to allow their hands to air-dry. (Note that public health guidance says that washing hands with soap and water is most effective, but hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol are a sound alternative when soap and water are unavailable.)
Post handwashing reminders around the school that reinforce proper handwashing techniques.
Make it a classroom habit to regularly clean or wipe surfaces that everyone touches often. Appoint students to a “clean squad,”and make it as special as being appointed line leader or any other classroom perk.

Schools should ensure that all restrooms are always well stocked with soap and paper towels. Sinks should all have hot and cold running water. Washrooms should be accessible — all students should be able to reach the sink. Clean public washrooms frequently.

Schools can mobilize PTO and parent volunteers to equip schools and classrooms with cleaning supplies, as needed.
Smooth out processes to accept parent donations of soap, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies.
Take advantage of classroom representatives, if they exist at your school. These classroom-based parent volunteers can coordinate preparedness at a hyper-local level. These preparations can be fun and customized to each classroom.