Coronavirus advice highlights Asia's terrible water scarcity

Hand-washing to prevent catching COVID-19 is impossible for billions

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A student demonstrates how to wash hands during an awareness campaign about COVID-19 at a school in Chennai on Mar. 14: this simple instruction is impracticable for most of the 2.4 billion people who live in water-scarce areas. © Reuters

Natalie Kyriacou is a social entrepreneur, management consultant and the CEO of My Green World, a Melbourne-based social enterprise dedicated to addressing global wildlife and environmental challenges through innovative, youth-focused education.

"Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds." This is the advice that has echoed around the world since the outbreak of COVID-19. This seemingly simple instruction, however, is impracticable for most of the 2.4 billion people who live in water-scarce areas. For much of the world, clean water is a privilege, not a right, and World Environment Day today is a good time to remember that.

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