Here's how technology in your washrooms can help containing COVID-19
Touch-free bathroom fixtures can play a vital role in maintaining higher hygiene standards in times of the coronavirus, ensuring minimal chances of disease transmission.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has cast a pall of gloom globally as people fear to come in contact with the deadly virus via public washrooms or even residential bathrooms. Given COVID-19’s morbidity and mortality rates, these apprehensions are understandable.
Yet, instead of being fearful, taking precautions is more meaningful. The importance of enhanced hand hygiene in preventing the virus’ spread is well known. Slowing the progression of COVID-19 is critical. During the 14th century, the Black Death (Plague) took around three years moving from southern to northern Europe. Today, COVID-19 has spread worldwide within three months – going swiftly from being labelled an epidemic to a pandemic. This is primarily due to air travel.
Risk of Confined Spaces
While the world’s airports are key elements in the swift spread, washrooms, bathrooms, elevators and other confined spaces are equally culpable as super-spreaders. This is because coronavirus patients, including asymptomatic carriers, inadvertently contaminate the spaces they visit or frequent. Given the proximity of users in enclosed spaces, especially if hygiene standards are slack, the potential of others being infected is high.
Considering these factors, and particularly since COVID-19 is expected to become a seasonal virus, it is essential to ensure that all public and private washrooms/bathrooms maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene. In the absence of SOPs (standard operating protocols), that is easier said than practised.
A common complaint concerns consumables such as soap and toilet rolls running out in washrooms well before replacements are at hand. There is no greater invitation for unhygienic scenarios. Yet, bespoke solutions are at hand in avoiding unpleasant eventualities – smart washrooms. Here, when refills are required, sensors in the dispensers quickly alert cleaning crews about the impending need.
As a result, no visitor is ever caught in a situation where s/he is unable to wash or wipe hands as a particular product has run out and not been replaced. This enables quicker washing and wiping of hands. Since the traffic flows speed up considerably, it ascertains there is no build-up of long queues as visitors come and go speedily without any hassle. The savings in soap, water and time are then apparent.
The other vulnerable spots are the washbasins. In traditional basins, users wash their hands and then move away to another area where the tissue paper is kept. Thereby, wet hands drip water across the place. The wet flooring can now become a hazard, especially for frisky children or frail elders, who are liable to slip and fall. In such cases, a fractured arm may be a possibility. Besides, such situations create an ideal thriving ground for virus and bacteria.
Advantages of Touch-free Fixtures
But all these concerns can be addressed by installing antimicrobial, touch-free fixtures. Be it touch-free faucets, hand dryers, soap dispensers and flushing systems, these products promote hygienic and safe washrooms. Furthermore, such systems minimise maintenance work while curbing wastage of water, soap and electricity.
Moreover, safety and savings are boosted through integrated washbasins with the sink basin, sensor-based faucets, touch-free soap dispensers as well as hand dryers all above the basin. The all-in-one facilities allow users to wash and dry their hands rapidly without even moving the feet. Coupled with low-flow faucets, these touch-free systems improve water efficiency in washrooms.
Commenting on this, Mr. Anup Tripathi, Country Head, Sloan India Pvt Ltd, said, "Sloan also has a product range of advanced electronic flushometer with touch-free operations and designed to save water. Apart from this, they also have a wide range of sensor products such as smart sensor faucets, sensor soap dispensers, sensor hand dryers, Sensor TruFlush flushometers and AER-DEC integrated sink systems which is an ideal solution for the hospitality business.
The advantages of high-speed touch-free hand dryers comprise the ability to thoroughly dry hands within 14 seconds, significantly reducing any chances of germs surviving in the washroom. Hand dryers that incorporate HEPA filters eliminate 99.97% of ambient aerial bacteria. This is an extremely vital element as damp hands can spread more than a thousand times the level of bacteria, unlike dry hands. Also, the traditional hand dryers take more than 40 seconds in drying hands thoroughly. This can make people lose patience and lead to insufficient drying of hands.
Another way of promoting higher hygiene levels and better maintenance is by installing wall-mounted urinals, sinks and toilets. Apart from making washrooms easier to clean, such sleek wall-mounted fittings are space-saving and aesthetically pleasing. Also, cleaning crews can mop the whole washroom without worrying about any bacteria thriving in the nooks and crannies.
The significance of these elements is apparent from a scientific study, which noted there were genetic traces of 77,000-plus diverse strains of bacteria and viruses found in public washrooms. These strains included E. coli, faecal bacteria, hepatitis, influenza, salmonella, shigella, streptococcus, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus and norovirus.
Considering these facts, it is clear that touching washroom faucets and fixtures can facilitate the faster spread of harmful pathogens, including the coronavirus. Therefore, touch-free fixtures, which include sensor-based doors, could allow the entry and exit of visitors without anyone having to unnecessarily touch any surface or objects. Accordingly, the chances of faster disease transmission via contaminated objects are reduced dramatically.
All these fixtures can be installed in both public and private bathrooms and washrooms, leading to higher levels of hygiene and greater savings of resources. In stopping the fast spread of COVID-19, touch-free fixtures are the need of the hour.