COVID-19: BEYOND THE VERONICA BUCKETS

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Walking in the slums days ago, I chanced on a lot of shops selling the Veronica buckets. In less than a day they were sold out. Speaking to buyers of these buckets, they referred it to the hiked prices of sanitizers and thus resorting to frequent hand washing, they believe will avoid the spread of the virus(COVID-19).

Days after, I chanced on a post online where women were using the Veronica buckets as business whereby people pay to wash their hands as they go about their daily activities but there was something missing. There were no tissues or disposable towels to clean hands after washing and most importantly close taps after washing hands to avoid the spread.

According to the World Health Organization and the Ghana Health Service, one way to avoid contact with the virus is frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds and not touching face with unwashed hands. In making this educative enough to reach out to the average person videos are broadcasted on the media to teach people on hand washing which after the individual washing the hands closes the tap with a tissue or disposable towels to avoid contact with germs or viruses again. But it is different here, people touch taps with dirty hands and after washing they close the taps with the washed hands and after wash their face with it.

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If this still remains the case, how can we fight against the spread of the virus? Authorities, Leaders organizations give out these buckets to help keep people safe and they don't provide these tissues or towels and so they also don't use it. Hand sanitizers could be the best option but how many people can afford it in these times even the affordable ones have not been checked by the Food and Drugs Authority so how sure are we of its effectiveness?
So then what should be done? How can we go beyond the Veronica buckets? How innovative can we be to break the spread?

This is what great minds from the Robotic Club of the Obuasi Senior High Technical School thought of and invented an electronic hand washing tap using these same Veronica buckets to prevent people from touching the taps whiles washing their hands to avoid the spread of the virus.
Just like sensory doors which opens when someone steps in front of it, the electronic hand washing tap automatically starts working when one extends his or her hand under the tap. This will surely prevent contact with germs or virus before and after washing hands.

This is a great initiative we must all support. This where the government must consider investing in to produce more than purchasing and giving out the ordinary buckets which are not appropriately used. Organizations and Individuals as well donating to centers to help fight this pandemic should also consider the talent of these brilliant students to help fight the virus especially in slums and other areas where it's very difficult to follow precautions.

Let's come together to support these ones. Let's look beyond the ordinary Veronica buckets and let's stop the spread of COVID-19. Stay safe .