A simple solution to the COVID-19 doorknob dilemma

In shared workplaces where efforts are being made to avoid the spread of COVID-19, one of the biggest challenges are the surfaces which are frequently touched by multiple people. Turns out that the lowly doorknob is the biggest culprit and ironically, the lowly Kleenex is the solution. The worst doorknobs are invariably those on washrooms (when you gotta go you gotta go). Unless these are being disinfected after every use, touching them is kind of like playing Russian roulette. Disinfecting them after every use is just not practical. A simple approach is to tape a box of Kleenex above the doorknobs (inside and out). Every time you go to grab a doorknob the Kleenex box is staring you right in the face to remind you NOT to grab that doorknob! As a cautionary note, this solution is not viewed as a replacement for regular disinfection. It is to supplement regular disinfection.

On a related note, we decided to go one step further at our facility and we replaced the washroom doorknobs with levers to which we added copper cladding. This was done to further hedge our bets based on some anecdotal evidence that COVID-19 does not like copper (https://www.insider.com/does-copper-kill-germs-and-viruses).

 

I hope this information is helpful. Stay safe.