DIY hand washing stations among PSA's advise to control COVID-19 in densely populated areas

The Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the government has prescribed measures such as installing 'do-it-yourself hand washing stations' for controlling the spread of COVID-19 in densely populated areas.

According to a statement issued on Monday, the key goal of the proposed measures is to emphasise on sanitation and hygienic practices, and suggest key interventions that can greatly help in controlling the spread of the disease.

Prof K VijayRaghavan, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India emphasised that in the push against the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has come together to apply the most effective enabling measures appropriate in each context.

Referring to Mumbai's Dharavi, the largest slum in the country that has been a hotspot of coronavirus cases, he said it needs special attention because of its population density.

"Addressing the urgent need to proactively put in place more mechanisms that enable regular hand washing by residents in these communities, the guidelines propose swift installation of do-it-yourself hand washing stations that have been used worldwide to contain epidemics," said a statement explaining the guidelines.

Suggesting installation of foot-operated hand washing stations, the statement said it not only reduces the chance of virus transmission by eliminating direct contact with potentially high-infection areas, but also the amount of water used by people during hand washing.

The guidelines state that installing permanent such foot-operated facilities in public and community toilets encourages hand washing while reducing water use. Chlorinating the water dispensed at such hand washing stations adds additional effectiveness and should be considered, it added.

The simple measures mentioned in the guidelines also include the need to always wear face covers and footwear in the toilet, washing hands immediately after use and maintaining social distancing.