A breath alcohol analyser is commonly used to determine the blood alcohol content by blowing into an inlet of the handheld device. The analyser is utilised by traffic cops to test persons suspected of driving after drinking and by the airport authorities to check the flight crew prior to departure of the planes. In India since the last 2 years, due to the pandemic, the test was stopped fearing that the Covid-19 virus may get transmitted through the analyser from person to person. Now that the test has been re-started there is always a possibility that known/unknown contagions harboured by a person could get transferred. To avoid this the authorities could use straws made of wood, paper or reusable plastic through which a person would exhale into the analyser. After the test the straws could be collected in recyclable plastic bags and disposed safely. The cost incurred on the straws may be nominal but the test will be quite risk-free and safer.
