Kandivli society sets up disinfectant shower

At Ibis tower at Kandivli, residents used the set-up in their premises, which was used for rain dance during events, and turned it into a disinfectant shower. The

At Ibis tower at Kandivli, residents used the set-up in their premises, which was used for rain dance during events, and turned it into a disinfectant shower. The set-up is on the lines of sanitisation chambers installed at several public places across the city such as police stations and hospitals.

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At this 84-apartment housing society with around 200 residents, sanitisers were being kept at gates and near elevator. But the residents then thought they needed a full-body sanitisation machine because people in the society were often stepping out due to various reasons.

Mehul Vithalani, a real estate consultant and a resident, said after the lockdown was announced, people from his society would have to go out to purchase groceries, vegetables and fruits. However in a bid to restrict movement, the society tied up with a vendor to provide vegetables and fruits inside the society premises every alternate day. In addition, a pharmacist, who is a resident of the society, assured that all medicines will be delivered to residents’ doorsteps.

“People just want a reason to step out. Earlier it was groceries, but after we provided facilities for the same at home, they would go out for bread. Later, we also tied up with a seller who delivers bread to us and we also have a community kitchen. Now, people venture out to go to bank and we cannot stop them from that. Hence, we thought that we need to make arrangement for sanitising the whole body instead of just hands and installed this,” said Vithalani.

A water and sodium hypochlorite solution is pumped through the sprinklers.

In an open market such chambers can cost ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh. However, members of Ibis tower made the shower at the cost of approximately ₹20,000.

Those entering the premises are checked with a thermal scanner first, and then made to stand under the shower for five to seven seconds before they can enter the society.

Jay Joshi, a resident who manufactures such booths, said these kind of set-up gives an anti-bacterial treatment and disinfects the body. Joshi said the system was a replica of such chambers set up on the streets of Europe.

“All societies need to replicate this because one cannot be free of the virus just by washing hands,” said Joshi.

However, experts said such chambers are not required as a normal bath with warm water, disinfectant and soap is enough when a person returns from outside.

“Personally, I don’t think such disinfectants should be used on body, because sodium hypochlorite is a surface cleanser and is not meant to be used on skin. Also, I had recently read about a study, which said such chambers could do more harm than good,” said Dr Preeti Mehta, former professor and head of microbiology department at King Edward Memorial hospital.