A University of Wyoming professor has come up with a novel solution to get people, especially kids, to wash their hands for at least twenty seconds, which is how long the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends to prevent contracting COVID-19.
Zhaojie Zhang, a professor in the Department of Zoology and Physiology, created the clock after watching how his young daughter washed her hands.
It uses just the second hand on a regular clock and colored dots or pictures to mark time. When it points to a picture that matches the one it started on, twenty seconds have passed.
Zhang is interested in the clock becoming a part of the "new normal" and being found in school bathrooms and homes across the country.
"If we can have a small manufacturer in Wyoming, I'd just love to have these being produced in Wyoming. I think they could potentially be used nationwide," said Zhang. "I don't see why New York City schools can't put in such a fun clock."
He also said it's an easy home project for parents and their kids.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Ivy Engel, at iengel@uwyo.edu.
