COVID-19 hand sanitizer stations installed like water fountains in NC coastal city

In a move akin to providing water fountains and bike racks, one North Carolina coastal town has installed COVID-19 hand sanitizer stations on the sidewalks of its downtown streets.

Southport, 30 miles south of Wilmington, announced the controversial move in a Saturday Facebook post, just as tens of thousands of visitors were flocking to the coast for the Memorial Day weekend.

“One of the interventions we can do as a city is to supply masks and we’re also placing hand sanitizer stations around the city,” Southport Mayor Joseph Hatem said in a YouTube video.

“What I’m asking you to do is to learn to adapt and live with the pandemic. That means trying to live as close to a normal life as possible... but doing so in a responsible way until there is a vaccine.”

The virus has infected more 22,000 people in North Carolina and is blamed in the deaths of more than 700, the News & Observer reported Saturday.

Health experts have long recommended Americans sanitize their hands to avoid contracting the highly contagious coronavirus.

Still, the city’s added precaution faced criticism on social media Saturday, including some who suggest it’s a “complete waste of money.” The city didn’t release a cost for the project.

“Thanks for contributing to ruining Southport!” Chris Scarn posted on the city’s Facebook page. “That blue post holding the sanitizer is a walking hazard.”

“And no one sees this as a waste of taxpayer dollars??? This is ridiculous. I am pretty sure it is personal responsibility to sanitize or not sanitize,” Tracey Eugenia Clark wrote.

“So rubbing toxic chemicals often contaminated with pesticides all over your hands, definitely harming your body, just to offer protection against a possible virus? Explain how that will be helpful to anyone?” Norma J. Martin-Burris posted on Facebook.

Some who posted on Facebook were in favor of the hand sanitizer stations with many commenting “thank you,” and other positive comments including “this is awesome” and “wonderful idea.”

North Carolina entered Phase Two of the state’s reopening during the pandemic on Friday. The move lifts the stay-at-home order, but continues to mandate business restrictions and crowd control measures: No more than 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

This story was originally published May 23, 2020 at 4:31 PM with the headline "COVID-19 hand sanitizer stations installed like water fountains in NC coastal city."