Hand washing and temperature screening at camp entry points during COVID-19

Some of the mitigation actions that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of rapid viral transmission of COVID-19, are regular hand washing, symptom checking, and social distancing. Having a n appropriate number of strategically placed hand washing stations, with IEC materials on proper hand washing technique, mode of transmission, respiratory hygiene, physical distancing and proper mask use can assist both in reinforcing messaging to the community, and providing increased frequency of hand hygiene. The ability to carry out temperature screening can identify those who are febrile, allowing for early interventions including referral for further assessment or instruction on home care. In this way, proactive identification of illness can be made to ensure that potentially ill persons maintain strict social distancing, refrain from engagement with others, and wear a mask.

Given the context of the camp setting which currently host more than 800,000 forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMN), and the high volume of traffic in and out of the camp, it is recommended that at the points of entry to the camps, hand washing and temperature checks be maintained to control the potential of infected persons entering to the camp or exiting to the host community.