Central Market soap not doing job

THE EDITOR: The covid19 pandemic that has swept the world required drastic lifestyle transformation both publicly and privately. The changes in health and safety practices have become critical to our daily lives and indeed survival (life or death). Consequently, the quality of the health and safety measures undertaken at public places such as markets, malls, groceries, etc need to be very effective.

The point of reference of this article is the station for the washing of hands at the Central Market in Port of Spain. Since the initial lockdown in March when the City Corporation instituted measures to deal with the pandemic and installed a hand washing station, the standard of hygiene has left a lot to be desired.

The problem at the station is the used plastic water bottles with a hole in the cover to dispense the soap solution. The solution is watered down and provides very little lather, which is so critical to the complete washing of hands and the capability to deter the spread of covid19 and to provide a form of self-protection.

The objective of washing hands is being defeated by the poor quality of detergent available to the public at the Central Market. The corporation through its Public Health Department must take steps to ensure the detergent (liquid soap, not bar soap) provided is of good enough quality to properly lather, thoroughly cleanse hands and kill the virus.

The corporation, in the interest of public safety, must revisit the washing station at the market to ensure that the hand washing protocol meets the requirements to prevent the potential spread of the virus.

ALBAN C SCOTT

Woodbrook