Hygiene is#nbsp;a#nbsp;fundamental and compulsory human right. This is#nbsp;the simple but powerful vision behind the Micro Soap Hygiene Station, an#nbsp;easy-to-use, effective and environmentally friendly hand washing system designed for hospitals, schools, restaurants, day-care centres and businesses in#nbsp;communities around the world.
Every year, millions of#nbsp;people become ill as#nbsp;a#nbsp;result of#nbsp;diseases that could easily have been prevented with access to#nbsp;adequate hygiene facilities or, even more frustratingly, with increased awareness of#nbsp;proper hand washing procedures. Despite the clear connection between poor hand hygiene and disease, many people wash their hands incorrectly or#nbsp;not at#nbsp;all. This results in#nbsp;a#nbsp;range of#nbsp;illnesses and related problems: loss of#nbsp;employment, loss of#nbsp;school days, costly medical interventions and, in#nbsp;the worst case, loss of#nbsp;life.
Soap hygiene micro-stations take the guesswork out of#nbsp;hand washing, ensuring that users get a#nbsp;clean and effective wash with every use, and thus avoid preventable diseases. What’s more, as#nbsp;part of#nbsp;our commitment to#nbsp;respecting the environment, we#nbsp;are reducing soap and water waste in#nbsp;the process, making a#nbsp;safer, healthier and greener planet, hand in#nbsp;hand.
With the emergence of#nbsp;the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and numerous other internationally recognized health organizations have stressed the importance of#nbsp;frequent and correct hand washing as#nbsp;the most reliable preventive measure against infection. By#nbsp;early March 2020, more than 125,000 people were infected with the Coronavirus, 11% of#nbsp;which were classified as "critical" or "severe".
But the simple act of#nbsp;washing hands with soap works against the Coronavirus on#nbsp;two fronts, breaking the lipid box that surrounds the virus (paralyzing its ability to#nbsp;infect), and making hands slippery so#nbsp;that the germs can be#nbsp;easily washed away. Micro-hygiene soap stations can help stop the spread of#nbsp;COVID-19 by#nbsp;ensuring that users receive easy and effective washing, with the right amount of#nbsp;soap, water and time, every time.
This startup provides the key steps to#nbsp;proper hand washing. The steps are as#nbsp;follows:
Wash your hands frequently
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at#nbsp;least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in#nbsp;a#nbsp;public place, or#nbsp;after you blow your nose, cough or#nbsp;sneeze.
If#nbsp;soap and water are not available, use a#nbsp;hand sanitizer that contains at#nbsp;least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of#nbsp;your hands and rub them until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with your unwashed hands.
As#nbsp;the anguish, fears, and anxiety surrounding the coronavirus continue to#nbsp;grow and the number of#nbsp;people forced into quarantine at#nbsp;home increases, the Israeli startup Soapy Care Ltd. has a#nbsp;clear goal and is#nbsp;to#nbsp;stop the spread of#nbsp;this virus by#nbsp;doing its part to#nbsp;help people wash their hands more efficiently.
The smart hygiene startup Soapy Care, founded in#nbsp;2018 and based in#nbsp;Rehovot, central Israel, develops smart sinks that incorporate computer vision analysis and Internet of#nbsp;Things (IoT) technologies, said Max Simonovsky, co-founder and CEO of#nbsp;the company in#nbsp;an#nbsp;interview with Calcalist.
Smart sinks are self-contained and replace traditional sinks, Simonovsky said. Soapy Care sinks can be#nbsp;programmed with different settings, including the amount of#nbsp;time the water runs or#nbsp;the precise amount of#nbsp;soap or#nbsp;disinfectant dispensed, according to#nbsp;the location of#nbsp;the smart sinks, whether in#nbsp;restaurants, hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers, or#nbsp;private homes, he#nbsp;added.
The toilets that this startup proposes have a#nbsp;series of#nbsp;advantages that can make us#nbsp;avoid the spread of#nbsp;the coronavirus and thus be#nbsp;able to#nbsp;stop the epidemic. They are the following:
COMPLIANCE: It#nbsp;adheres to#nbsp;the World Health Organization’s guidelines for hand hygiene
IOT POWERED: Get real-time hand washing quality reports for all users
WATER SAVINGS: Reduces water consumption by#nbsp;95%
VERIFIED: Supervises effective hand washing practice of#nbsp;each user
PLUG & PLAY" CONFIGURATION: Easy and fast installation
ACCESSIBLE: Hands-free activation system eliminates contamination at#nbsp;the point of#nbsp;use
While the company suggests using specific types of#nbsp;soaps for best results, their sinks can be#nbsp;used with any standard soap.
The idea for smart sinks came up#nbsp;a#nbsp;few years ago when Simonovsky’s son, who was two at#nbsp;the time, told him that he#nbsp;didn´t think handwashing is#nbsp;important because some of#nbsp;his daycare sinks don’t work properly.
Since the coronavirus outbreak, the company has lowered its prices for customers in#nbsp;the most affected areas, such as#nbsp;in#nbsp;China and South Korea, to#nbsp;help stop the spread of#nbsp;the virus. The outbreak has led to#nbsp;a#nbsp;massive increase in#nbsp;demand for Soapy Care’s smart sinks, Simonovsky said.
Soapy Care’s technology can be#nbsp;found in#nbsp;restaurants, factories and day-care centres in#nbsp;countries such as#nbsp;Israel, the United States, Angola and India. The company has raised more than $#nbsp;1 million to#nbsp;date and employs a#nbsp;team of#nbsp;22 people.