How automatic doors help slow down Coronavirus

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting thousands of people around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reminded all countries and communities that the spread of this virus can be considerably slowed down or even stopped if strict containment and control measures are applied.

The health authorities recommend hygiene as the best exponent to prevent it from spreading. Included among the prevention guidelines are:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
• Adopt respiratory hygiene measures and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoid crowds and limit physical contact
• If you have a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, immediately request medical care
• Adopt hygiene measures when visiting areas where there are a lot of people
• Increase the cleaning of communal areas and areas considered a risk of infection
• If possible, stay at home to avoid infection or infecting others if you are infected

Public spaces –except hospitals- are becoming empty due to the logical fear of this pandemic. Places such as shopping malls, supermarkets, cafés or offices have reduced the number of people circulating around them to a greater or lesser extent.

Despite this, you sometimes have no choice but to leave home, for example to shop for basic goods or medicines. Thank goodness the accesses to these establishments are automatic.

Doors that avoid the spread of the pandemic

Many people are pushing entrance doors with their arms when they are manual. But they are unsure how to open the door when you have to pull on it to exit to enter the premises. Thanks to places with automatic doors, this is no longer a problem because there is no possibility of contagion from the hands.

Automatic doors are becoming essential at present in hospitals and health centres, as they completely isolate the inside of the rooms. These are hermetic doors that provide the utmost safety in quarantine conditions. Nowadays, when many patients have to suffer the effects of the illness in isolation, they are of great use and importance for health centres.

Likewise, in warehouses working with products where there is a great loading and unloading activity, automatic doors are fundamental. They provide agility, great operability, and the best hygiene conditions. At times where we must be strict with regard to distances and the use of materials, they provide comfort and safety.

Once this pandemic is over, it would be a good idea to analyse where automatic doors might be of benefit (in most places and buildings, including public transport), for the common good of all society. Not only to avoid a new epidemic, but also for hygiene against the common cold and flu.