Coronavirus Outbreak: Samsung launches an app for Galaxy Watch to remind users to wash hands

Samsung has developed an app that could make handwashing a habit. The South Korean company launched its new smartwatch app that helps improve hand hygiene as people learn to adapt to life amid the coronavirus pandemic. Samsung has stated that while there has been an increased awareness regarding the importance of washing one’s hands frequently and thoroughly, there is no clarity regarding what it actually means. [caption id=“attachment_8451641” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]  The Hand Wash app starts a 25 second time once you are at the sink. Image: Samsung[/caption] “This is why Samsung has developed an app to provide a clear guide on how, and how regularly, users should be washing their hands,” the company said in a blog post. The Hand Wash app, which is there as ‘Hand Wash’ in the Watch section of the Galaxy Store, helps users remember to wash their hands at regularly scheduled intervals throughout the day. Samsung has cited a 2020 study by University College London (UCL) which found that hand washing 6-10 times a day is linked to a lowered infection risk. [caption id=“attachment_8451651” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]  Image: Samsung[/caption] However, busy daily schedules often make people forget the washing schedule. The Hand Wash app includes an alarm function where users can select the Reminders button to add or modify the timings of their alarms. People may set an alarm that will notify them every two hours to wash their hands. Once a user is at the sink, swiping up on the watch will start a 25-second timer — five seconds for applying soap and 20 for scrubbing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), evidence from both the SARS and COVID-19 epidemics shows that hand hygiene is very important to protect healthcare workers from getting infected.