Sophie, 16, Dublin

For her idea submission to the #YSIOpenCall, Sophie wanted to tackle one of the most important things that people can do to halt the spread of Coronavirus - wash their hands properly.

She thought that people would find it easier to follow the guidelines from the HSE, if the experience was made a little more fun! Especially people with small children who might be finding it difficult to ensure they wash their hands correctly.

Her idea is an automatic soap dispenser fitted with a timer, that when activated, will play music for 20 seconds. This will help people to know how long to wash their hands for and also pass the time for them in an entertaining way. 

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Even though the guidelines on how long you should spend washing your hands are widely available, and most people think they are spending long enough, in reality we are probably not washing them for the recommended amount of time.

Sophie feels that such a device would be a fun way to help keep people safe, knowing they are helping to reduce the spread of the virus at the same time.

Do you have an idea you'd like to submit?