Hand sanitizer turnstiles installed at Charlottetown marinas

The next time you visit Peake's Quay in Charlottetown, you'll have to stop at a hand sanitizer turnstile before walking onto the floating dock.

In order to unlock the turnstile, a person needs to use the attached hand sanitizer dispenser. Robert Gayle, the co-owner of the Charlottetown and Peake's Quay marinas, said he thought the turnstile would be a solution to keeping people safe in a public setting during COVID-19.

"The idea is, you can't enter the facility without cleaning your hands," he said.

"It's a big step in terms of, you know, what we want to do to create a safe area for people to eat and be active."

'A no brainer'

The hand sanitizer turnstiles were made by Uberloo International, a company that specializes in hands-free technologies, which is based in eastern P.E.I.

Tom Haan, a developer at Uberloo International, said the company has been creating products like this for years, but said the turnstiles are an example of a product specifically designed with the pandemic in mind. 

"I think that post-pandemic, we talk about the months coming, there is going to be a lot of opportunity for businesses to show the public that they've done something," he said.

Gayle said when he came across the Island-made product, he said he thought it would be a great fit for both the Peake's Quay location and Charlottetown Marina. 

"A bit of a no-brainer in our situation," he said.

Haan said the company is keen to see how the public interacts with the turnstiles, and will look at making adjustments before marketing them further.

"At the Charlottetown waterfront, so this gives the public some confidence to actually go there and feel safe," Haan said.

Mikey Wasnidge, the co-owner of Nimrods', a floating pizza bar on the Peake's Quay Marina, said the turnstile is a good way to keep the public health message at the forefront. 

He said Nimrods', along with a number of other businesses in Peake's Quay, are trying to come up with other ways to give the public peace of mind.

"How do we install Plexiglas? How do we manage our order taking? How do we give customers space?" he said.

"We're just looking at all of these different ways of how to maintain some level of normalcy while still operating in a safe way."

COVID-19: What you need to know

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

• Fever.
• Cough.
• Tiredness.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia, which can lead to death.

Health Canada has built a self-assessment tool.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Isolate yourself and call 811. Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested. A health professional at 811 will give you advice and instructions.

How can I protect myself?

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean regularly touched surfaces regularly.
• Practise physical distancing.

More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.

More COVID-19 stories from CBC P.E.I.