COVID-19 in Africa: The Nuances of Social Distancing and Handwashing

The increasing spread of COVID-19 has necessitated enforcement of frequent hand washing, social distancing and lockdown measures as a recommended global strategy to curb community-based spread of the disease. However, pre-existing conditions in Africa impede capacity to observe hand hygiene, social distancing and lockdown.

Compliance with social distancing and handwashing is challenging in Africa due to poor urban planning in densely populated communities, food insecurity, water shortages, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, unemployment and lack of funding. The aim of this article is to unveil current challenges with social distancing and handwashing in Africa and propose innovative solutions to prevent community-based COVID-19 transmission.

Source: COVID-19 in Africa: The Nuances of Social Distancing and Handwashing