26. To Attempt the Scope of Contamination Due to Unavoidable Touching of Public Surfaces Within the Educational Campus Mitigating the Spread of Covid Infection

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted through close contact, air droplets, and contacting contaminated surfaces. Commonly touched surfaces in public places direct or indirect pose a greater challenge for the rapid transmission of the virus. This paper attempts to look into the scenario of disease transmission and to bring upon design ideas to create potential solutions that could help reduce the direct transmission of the virus. Participant observation is made among educational campuses in the Ahmedabad region along with expert interviews. The clusters for transmission were identified. Design ideations were made, and the Pugh-chart method is used to evaluate design concepts based on usability, safety, feasibility, and affordability. The paper showcases some potential solutions to mitigate the spread of covid infection primarily among educational campuses, while coming in contact with a positive surface.