medium · GMAT Verbal

Argument: A certain hospital implemented a new hygiene protocol that increased hand-washing compliance from 50% to 95%. Because the rate of hospital-acquired infections subsequently dropped by 20%, the hospital staff concluded that the new protocol was the reason for the decline in infections.

1. Hand-washing is the single most important factor in preventing the spread of all types of infections.
2. The hospital staff were not aware they were being monitored for compliance with the new hygiene protocol.
3. The decline in infections was not caused by other factors, such as a change in the types of patients admitted or a seasonal decrease in viral activity.
4. The increase in hand-washing compliance was sustained at the same high level throughout the entire period in which infections were measured.
5. Prior to the protocol, the hospital's infection rates were among the highest in the region.

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