The Kerala police has come up with an innovative campaign to further public awareness on the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the world, including India.
This time, the Kerala state police media cell has released a video which shows six officers dancing to ‘Kalakatha’, a catchy number from the Prithviraj-Biju Menon starrer Ayyappanum Koshiyum.
However, instead of typical dance moves, the officers illustrate steps to wash one’s hands thoroughly in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. The video is part of the ‘Break the Chain’ - a campaign to promote handwashing launched by the Kerala government to instruct people on the importance of personal and public hygiene.
Even since the rapid spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organisaiton, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention as well as several health advisories have sworn by the effectiveness of washing hands with soap and water as a simple and effective tool to prevent the spread of the virus.
Transferred predominantly through respiratory droplets, the novel coronavirus can spread from infected persons if adequate precautions are not taken. If infected persons cough or sneeze without using tissues, the virus could end up on surfaces, making other healthy persons vulnerable to contracting the infection when they touch the surface, and then touch their eyes, nose or face.
Kerala has reported 27 positive cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Out of these, three persons, all students from China, have completely recovered and were discharged from the isolation wards.
As per the latest guidelines, the state is now rapidly testing foreign tourists from vulnerable countries and allowing healthy ones to go back home, retaining only those who have tested positive for the virus in the state. These people will be placed under quarantine in observation centres or isolation wards in the state.
In order to break this cycle, experts insist that washing hands with soap is a simple and effective way to contain the virus.
Watch Kerala Police’s hand washing video here: