Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Covid-19 pandemic: a global socioeconomic analysis

Abstract

Socioeconomic achievement of WASH (access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene) services are being acknowledged as anticipatory actors, indispensable in safeguarding health during this Covid-19 pandemic. However, on a global scale, it is currently not clear whether deprivation or non-obtainability of which of the various WASH services are closely related to Covid-19 dynamics and up to which degree. We have analysed data (March - June 2020) related to five Covid-19 indicators for most of the countries in the world with indicators of safe water, sanitation and hygiene to understand this. We have found a strong positive correlation between lesser effects of Covid-19 and better access to safe water, sanitation as well as hygiene throughout this time for most of the indicators. However, some indicators show the opposite nature of the relationship, for which we have given probable explanation accordingly. The hypothesis of an inversely proportional association between Covid-19 and poor WASH facilities on a global scale is confirmed in this study. We propose that this study should be perceived as an expanded comprehensive view on the complexities of WaSH-Covid19 interrelationships, which could help to shape an agenda for research into some unanswered questions. Highlights WASH indicators are highly correlated to cumulative indicators of Covid-19. Trends of this correlation have been changing from March-June, 2020. Income groups and geographic locations have no distinguishing effects on countries. Better WASH performance does not always correlate against Covid-19.