To control the spread of the novel Coronavirus, medical agencies have time and again come up with the precautionary practices that one should follow. Most of them build on the World Health Organisation's tip to maintain utmost personal hygiene.
That is because the COVID-19 is a highly contagious streak of Coronavirus. A simple misstep in following the basic precautions can expose one to catching the virus. That is also the reason why more than 2.6 million people have been infected with the virus to date.
Regardless, here we look at all the Coronavirus tips we should adhere to and all those that we should not follow. In doing so, we will try to figure out the best precautionary measures and how to follow them through easy practices.
Hands can be the prime source of virus transmission for two main reasons. One, we use our hands for various tasks and that leaves them exposed to the virus being transmitted through such surfaces/ objects. Second, we can easily touching your face, eyes, ears or nose can be an easy entry point for the virus to find its way to the inside of your body.
So the best solution for both the problems is to keep washing hands regularly and avoid touching your face. One can also use gloves while going out or use hand sanitiser regularly. Note that washing hands with soap and water for more than 20 seconds is still considered to be the best precaution.
Coronavirus is mainly spread through the respiratory droplets of those infected by it. These droplets are expelled into the air around the infected through coughing and sneezing.
Hence, it is important that such droplets are not let out at all. An easy way of doing this is for everyone to follow basic hygiene and cover their mouths while coughing or sneezing with a cloth or a tissue. You should discard the tissue immediately afterwards.
Everyone should follow this practice as this will make sure that even a asymptomatic carrier of the disease does not contribute to its further spread.
It has been found out through various studies on the virus that the Coronavirus can stay active on surfaces for varying durations, mostly based on the nature of the surface. Hence, it is an important practice to clean such surfaces regularly with disinfectants.
The ongoing sealing of localities found with infected cases is partly due to this. Sanitising a place is of utmost importance if there are cues of the Coronavirus being present there.
Rubbing alcohol, disinfectants or even hand sanitisers can then be used on all the surfaces to destroy the Coronavirus and not let it spread.
An important step for all those who need to step out of their homes for any purpose. Even though the COVID 19 isn't airborne, masks can prevent its spread by controlling the transmission of respiratory droplets as mentioned above. Masks should especially be worn if you are feeling sick and/ or coughing or sneezing.
In case you do not have access to a mask around your residence, you can make one yourself by things usually found within the home. Once made, share it with the world, by clicking a selfie or video and tag it under hashtag #MaskIndia. The Times Of India will feature the best and most innovative creations online.?
Before we decide on our actions, we should understand the situation thoroughly. As per WHO's recent advisory, the way back from the lockdowns to life as it was before is hard. In fact, even when the activities resume, the threat of a second or a third wave of the Coronavirus will not be absent. Around 70 Coronavirus vaccines are under various stages of development across the globe. However, they are expected to be available by next year at the earliest. With no cure expected anytime soon, taking utmost precaution for the time being will be our best hope against the virus.
This means, we should strictly be saying no to the following activities:
This is the golden rule for keeping yourself safe from the virus. Minimise the exposure to the outside world and the chances of the virus getting to you will be reduced dramatically. That is also why almost the entire world is experiencing a lockdown, in an effort to break the chain and stop the transmission of the COVID 19.
It is strongly advised that you avoid contact or being in close proximity with people who're unwell. Not just Coronavirus, any sort of infection will damage your immune system and that is a risk not to be taken amid the Coronavirus spread.
No matter the urgency of your task, avoid stepping out of your house if you are unwell. Even if you feel you have common cold, taking a rest would be the best way for you to recover quickly. In case the symptoms extend to severe cold or flu and troubled breathing, you might want to get a medical checkup done.?