COVID-19 is going to change the way we use lifts. Here are some precautions

Pre-COVID days, there were always 4-5 people taking the lift at the same time. We never thought of it as a safety hazard, after all it was only a matter of a few floors.

Post-COVID, you bat an eye of suspicion everytime the lift opens. Are the other people in the lift maintaining safe distance? Are they wearing a mask? What if someone sneezes? Or coughs? Is the lift thoroughly sanitized for use?

As elitist as the above statement sounds, COVID-19 has made us all into cleanliness freaks and germophobes. After all, we all know how easy it is to catch the viral infection from just about anywhere. There is no place just too safe.

From public transport, roads, cafes and grocery shops, COVID has made us all adopt six feet distance and changed our social behaviour. But, the most pertinent change has been in terms of lift sharing etiquettes. Experts say that 'hygiene privacy' will also likely become the norm post-pandemic and continue to rule the foreseeable future.

While most lifts are usually 6-7 feet wide, how do you ensure that people in the lift maintain appropriate distance?

We have to take into consideration that practising proper social distancing in lifts is next to impossible. Most elevators and lifts aren't big enough to allow people to stand 5-6 feet apart.

The dangers of transmission can also be high if a person is not wearing a mask, is returning from a high-risk area, coming after exercising or breathing heavily. One must also consider the dangers of asymptomatic carriers.

Companies are adopting prevalent measures as well to ensure that social distancing and safety measures are maintained at all times. Some common examples include a buzzer that would go off when two people 'come too close to each other', clear markings and fines for barging in, ensuring spacing while using lifts is a new normal for many who have started to return back to office spaces and malls.

Transmission risk can also breach high from the utility buttons and metal surfaces. The fear made a lot of apartments and building staff make use of toothpicks to avoid maintaining unnecessary contact with surfaces.

A recent model lift experiment also showed that the virus can linger in the air for a longer time, even after an infected carrier exits. All these and more make one wonder if taking a lift is after all safe. Many have also taken to climbing stairs now.

However, even after considering these factors, while lifts may look like a breeding house of germs when you are travelling up and down floors, chances of getting sick, or catching COVID-19 are on the lower side.

Yes, there do exist risks, but considered to other shared public areas or surfaces, infection chances are barely low. There have been very few documented cases as well.

One of the reasons behind this would be the time one spends riding in an elevator. The shorter the time you spend, the higher the chances of mitigating the risk of transmission.

However, that still doesn't mean we should be thronging in lifts without any risk of safety. Despite the low risk, one should continue to take necessary precautions and protect yourself from being exposed to the virus, or infection carriers.

Here are some of the safety measures which can be adapted to have a safer ride on the elevator.

It cannot be stressed enough just how important wearing a mask is right now. Whether you are sick or not, masks can cut down the risk of spread of infection, or passing on the infection (even if you are asymptomatic) to others by up to 40-50% in crowded places.

It should be noted that wearing a mask should be made mandatory in lifts to protect people. Even if you are riding the elevator alone, do wear a mask. This will potentially protect you from the dangers of catching an infection which might be lingering in the air inside the cube. Other forms of facial coverings, gloves can be made use of as well.

People living in high-rises, or those with medical ailments cannot always use the stairs. However, if possible, one should avoid using lift with other people, as much as it is possible to mitigate the risk. Make sure you avoid crowded elevators. If possible, reserve the lifts for those who may need it more than you and switch to the stairs (which will help you get in some exercise as well).

Keeping social distance cannot be possible at all times. Instead, make sure that you stand in opposite corners of the elevators and ensure that your body doesn't touch the walls too much. Since the travel is for a short distance, doing so won't be too uncomfortable as well.

Implementing a 2-4 person restriction can also help enable distancing and ensure smooth travel.

Just a simple sneeze during COVID times can alarm your co-passengers. Activities like coughing, sneezing or even speaking loudly (with your mouth open) can multiply the chances of infection spread. So be careful and keep yourself sanitized and safe.

UV sterilization and regular disinfection with a good quality spray can also evade surface level germs and viruses.