Disinfection tunnels could offer a false sense of security

I AM deeply concerned by the news that several government agencies (not the Health Ministry) have ordered and set up Covid-19 disinfection tunnels in several locations. I became even more distressed after reading that some of our local universities and innovators are manufacturing these disinfection tunnels.

My first reservation is on the evidence-base of the effectiveness of a Covid-19 disinfection tunnel. While the exact mode of Covid-19 transmission has not been fully determined, we do know that human-to-human transmission occurs through small droplets from the nose or mouth, which spread when a person with the coronavirus coughs, sneezes or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person.

Other people could then catch the coronavirus by first touching these objects or surfaces and then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch the coronavirus if they breathe in droplets from a person with Covid-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why one of the key health advisories is social distancing.