Edison Student Innovation Gold Winner: Vizuell
Vizuell is a two-step verifiable, decolorizing sanitizer, that aims to prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections and the transmission of COVID-19.
Targeting Healthcare-Associated Infections and COVID-19 Contact Transmission through hand hygiene practices
Hand hygiene is one of the most important elements of infection control. It is simple yet effective, and can significantly reduce the risk of cross-transmission of infection in healthcare facilities. Hand Hygiene compliance occurs at or below 50% compliance for both ICUs and non-ICUs. Even when people think they are complying, coverage of sanitizing agents can be incomplete, thus providing a false sense of security.
The importance of hand hygiene only grows, considering that we are in the midst of a global pandemic. Airborne virus particles and respiratory droplets spread and settle on surfaces and close contacts. COVID 19 can be spread by contaminated hands touching the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and eyes. Face-touching behaviors are frequent and often unconscious, thus making it vital for everyone from health care officials and essential workers to the everyday citizen to keep their hands clean.
Given the extensive benefits and drawbacks of current sanitizing methods, I propose a verifiable sanitizer that:
Sanitizes through a known, effective mechanism
Visual cues allow health care workers to ensure total hand coverage
Verifiable for a short duration (no long term coloring)
Doesn’t require further handwashing/Uses already set habits
