Buildings yet to provide hand wash facilities despite directive

As per directions in April 2020, all government and private buildings, hospitals, educational institutions, corporate buildings, housing complexes, retail stores, multi-storied buildings and other buildings were ordered to make adequate provisions for hand wash and allow people to enter and exit these premises only after washing their hands.

Former public health director Dr K Kolandaisamy said that our neighbouring State, Kerala, had better management of COVID-19 cases, because of better implementation of hygiene programmes. "Public places have provisions to wash hands as they ensure adequate availability of water and soap in Kerala. They ensure that sanitisers are available at entry and exits of public places. However, despite a government order, public places in TN have not initiated such preventive measures," said Dr Kolandaisamy.

Though zonal officials said that all shops and complexes have been instructed to allow entry to the building only after sanitising their hands and screening them for temperature, many stores only keep sanitisers as a tool to escape action against them by local authorities.

"The concept of hand hygiene and social distancing both needs to be understood by the people in the city. Though sanitisers are being used in many large complexes, the picture is different in small stores. We need to make people aware of the precautions they need to take to prevent COVID-19," said Dr Prabhdeep Kaur deputy director at National Institute of Epidemiology. As per the order, any buildings that do not have the provision of adequate water, soap and washbasins on their premises will have to suffer a penalty or six months jail in case of violations under the Epidemics Disease Act 1897 and Tamil Nadu Public Health Act 1939.

When contacted, a senior official from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said that the State Health Department officials will look into the implementation of the order. However, disinfection and awareness programmes on hand hygiene are in place in the State.