Summary
- With the WHO warning that the virus could be here to stay, the possibility of social distancing remain with us for a while looks real.
- On the basis of this eventuality, built environment experts now want public spaces and buildings redesigned to mitigate future pandemics known to thrive in dingy, congested and poorly planned spaces.
- The experts said Kenya should learn from the Covid-19 pandemic that has led to changes in seating arrangements in vehicles, offices and limited public gatherings to a minimum of 15 people.
Social distancing is now the norm in every public space thanks to the highly contagious Covid-19.
With
the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that the virus could be
here to stay, the possibility of social distancing remain with us for a
while looks real.
On the basis of this eventuality,
built environment experts now want public spaces and buildings
redesigned to mitigate future pandemics known to thrive in dingy,
congested and poorly planned spaces.
The experts said
Kenya should learn from the Covid-19 pandemic that has led to changes in
seating arrangements in vehicles, offices and limited public gatherings
to a minimum of 15 people.
Architectural Association
of Kenya(AAK) president Mugure Njendu said post-Covid, major changes
must be made within private and public buildings to create spaces that
enable people to observe social distancing to deter new Covid-19
infections.
“We need less desks within offices and workmates in large groups
must be retained in same groups to help contact tracing in case of new
infections,” she said, adding that movement within offices should be
remodelled to accommodate separate entry and exit points to reduce
regular interactions.
Companies and state agencies, Ms
Njendu said must adopt a “hands-free” way of doing things from opening
doors, water taps, soap dispensers and elevator buttons. She was
speaking when they launched the fourth weeklong public sensitisation
campaign, dubbed #JeUnaMjengo, on safe buildings.
Speaking
at the same event, AAK’s Town Planners Chapter chair Juliet Rita called
for a fresh examination of all public spaces from markets, bus stages
and termini as well as public offices, health centres, educational and
sports facilities to inform mitigation measures that enhance healthy
living within urban areas.
The physical and transport
planner said Kenyans must pro-actively protect public spaces from
grabbers by keeping tabs on plans and proposals posted on county
government websites.
“Interrogate the county spatial
plans, county investment plans and most importantly the municipalities’
annual investment plans. Nairobians should know ‘the NIUPLAN’, the
envisioned railway city among other plans like the back of your palms so
that you can question development decisions that are contrary to these
plans,” she said.
AAK’s honorary secretary Marylyn
Musyimi called for increased investments in social public infrastructure
to ease queues at watering points and reduce jostling for space along
footpaths used by bodaboda operators as well as pedestrians.
“Dignified
housing must provide well ventilated functional spaces with good
lighting and built using an appropriate choice of material. They must be
provided with clean running water, electricity, proper sanitation,
green spaces, pedestrian and cyclist lanes on roads, schools, hospitals
and religious and social spaces,” she said.
The AAK
campaign that lasted five days called for closer engagements between
professionals, regulatory authorities and investors to ensure quality
properties that adhere to laid down rules are put up to avert
demolitions and building collapsing due to poor workmanship.
Meanwhile,
churches and mosques as well as public gatherings might witness a major
shift in sitting arrangements leading to reduced audiences and
mandatory temperature testing via auto-thermal cameras or handheld
thermal guns.
Restaurants and retail chains are already
taking steps towards making their spaces safe, having installed
plexiglass in key service areas to minimise human contact while allowing
operations to go on
Fast-food restaurant operator
Simbisa Brands has opened a takeaway section at its latest outlet at a
petrol station on Eastern bypass, Ruiru that incorporates Pizza Inn,
Chicken Inn and Creamy Inn awaiting inspection and advises on the
sitting arrangement on its first floor dining area.
Nairobi’s
Naivas outlet on Moi Avenue has been controlling traffic to reduce
crowding where shoppers line up outside the facility.
Most
drugstores, money agents, retail shops and takeaway eateries have
placed branded strapped encouraging customers to shop while standing
about a metre away from the counter while service outlets have all their
attendants equipped with masks.
Post-Covid, most
facilities and public service vehicles will likely provide sanitisers as
well as soap and water. Ms Njendu said future construction designs of
buildings will have to incorporate larger spaces and more doors as well
as new restroom designs to accommodate the social distancing rule, while
buttonless elevators might become the norm with more people preferring
to walk up and down the stairs.
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