COVID-19 and informal settlements – implications for water, sanitation and health in India and Indonesia. Issue 1 (7th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Parikh, Priti; Karim, Yasmin Bou; Paulose, Jacob; Factor-Litvak, Pam; Nix, Emily; Aisyah, Dewi Nur; Chaturvedi, Hemant; Manikam, Logan; Lakhanpaul, Monica
• Is Part Of: UCL Open environment. Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 5
• Publication Date: 2020-09-07
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- WASH -- informal settlements -- India -- Indonesia -- infection pathways -- water -- the environment -- policy and law; 333.7
• DOI: 10.14324/111.444/ucloe.000011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2632-0886

Abstract

Abstract : Informal settlements are home to over 1 billion people worldwide and are characterised by high population densities and poor environmental conditions. The authors identify the impact of COVID-19 on existing water and sanitation practices and potential pathways for the transmission of COVID-19 in informal settlements in India and Indonesia. In the short term, there is an urgent need for mobile and contactless hand washing, washing/bathing facilities and toilets. In the long term, COVID-19 provides an opportunity to invest in centralised water and sanitation networked solutions appropriate for high-density settings to integrate those settlements into cities and improve environmental conditions and health in these cities.