Shared gyms, swimming pools, playgrounds, and elevators – while these amenities provide spaces for residents of the same condominium to chat and catch up, the Covid-19 pandemic reversed these places to become spaces of fear and anxiety.
As we all know, a two-meter physical distance should be observed at all times, and populated places or publicly-shared amenities must be avoided. While condominium managements have closed down gyms and other amenities, elevators, which are essential for mobility, cannot follow the suit. It would be nearly impossible for several people living in the top floors to not use the elevators, so it poses a greater threat on condominium unit owners.
“We know the virus can be transmitted through what we call droplets and through contact…If you touch the elevator buttons and rub your eyes or touch your mouth or nose, then you could get it that way. So hand hygiene is key” (Bogoch, as cited in Matti, 2020).
With this, it is evident that we should put importance on hygiene now more than ever, and we should always be informed of the proper things to do to prevent the spread of the virus. Some examples are to always use masks, bring alcohol, and sanitize things that have been exposed to the outside. It also helps to assume everyone and everything out there is infected so we could practice some caution when going out of the house. Efforts from the condo management should also be at its fullest because they need to disinfect high-touch surfaces such as elevator buttons and doors, as well as ensure proper information dissemination among residents.
The coronavirus indeed poses great challenges for the condominium life, and recent activities show the shift of people’s buying behavior to properties with bigger spaces. There has been a growing interest now to properties in the suburbs, and people tend to not cramp themselves up to tiny spaces in the middle of the city, which could pose greater challenges and risks in times like this.
References
Matti, M. (2020). What are the risk factors with condo living amid COVID-19 pandemic? Retrieved from https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/what-are-the-risk-factors-with-condo-living-amid-covid-19-pandemic-1.4871653