We may be in the period of de-escalation in some parts of the world, but that does not mean that there cannot suddenly be a rebound, a new focus of contagion. Now more than ever we must take extreme measures, and not act as if this has already ended.
For this reason, a shopping center in Thailand has had an idea that is as simple as it is enormous: changing the management interface of their elevators so that they do not have to use their hands
A pedal lift
Thailand, the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, suffered a sharp recession in its economy due to the Coronavirus crisis due to factors such as the lack of tourism and the interruption of internal activity. And just over a week ago, shopping malls and department stores opened last Sunday for the first time since March, their second phase of relaxation measures as the number of new coronavirus cases declines, with 3,034 confirmed cases and 56 deaths.
One of the maxims in all countries is physical contact. We must reduce it as little as possible and even avoid it. And the use of gloves is essential, especially on public surfaces that these days have been opened or are going to open, with the consequent influx of customers. The buttons on a lift in a shopping mall can be a source of contagion because hundreds of people are going to touch them. But not in Bangkok’s Seacon Square, because the elevator buttons have been replaced by pedals.
Sanitary and cheap security measures
Thus, to go to different floors and parking lots, customers only have to press the pedal corresponding to the floor they want to go to. This avoids having to touch a button that dozens of people have already touched before you – even if you wear gloves. The health safety measure has been lauded for its extreme simplicity and enormous usability, and the mall plans to use it on 15 more elevators.
The use of the pedals is done in conjunction with other measures, such as reducing the number of people who can go in the elevators -only six-, and its cost is 20,000 baht per elevator, about 572 euros to change the buttons by pedals in each cabin. A measure that we hope to see applied in the West, without a doubt.