A “tippy tap" offers a way to wash hands when there’s no running water.
As many as two in every five people don’t have access to basic handwashing facilities.
Washing hands can cut viral spread by more than 50%.
Being able to wash your hands is taken for granted in the developed world. It’s a key element in the strategy to stem the spread of COVID-19. But what if you live somewhere with no running water?
This is the reality facing many people in developing countries. Now, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a video showing how to make a “tippy tap” that offers a simple, safe way to clean your hands.
Assembled easily and operated by a foot pedal, the tippy tap is a hands-free device made from everyday materials. The only thing the user touches is a bar of soap suspended from a string.
As many as two in every five people don’t have access to basic handwashing facilities, UNICEF estimates. Regions with the lowest coverage of “improved” sanitation are sub-Saharan Africa, Southern Asia and Eastern Asia, according to the WHO and UNICEF.
With the COVID-19 pandemic gripping the planet, the WHO advises everyone to regularly and thoroughly clean their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub, or soap and water. It’s one of the best ways to kill any pathogens that may be on your hands.
Handwashing can be a critical measure in controlling pandemics, according to research. Studies carried out during the 2006 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) suggest that washing hands more than 10 times a day cut the spread of the virus by more than 50%. Tippy taps could make handwashing more widely available, helping to stem the spread of COVID-19 more quickly.
