The spread of coronavirus is an evolving situation and one of the vital keys to staying safe and healthy is to be well informed on safety tips to protect yourself. As the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) begins to spread outside of China to other countries, many people are concerned about looking for answers and possible ways to stay clear of the virus.
Though there is currently a covid-19 vaccine of which there are two types, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and the Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, the safety of these vaccines haven’t been 100% assured and still not available for most countries.
As such, the best way to prevent illness remains to avoid being exposed to this disease and that means taking some protective measures which would be mentioned in this article.
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COVID-19 is primarily spread by respiratory droplets transmitted through close contact with an infected person and adopting good hygiene is one of the most effective weapons one could adopt to slow or prevent the virus from spreading. Here are 6 tips to protect yourself and others.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
The most common and noticeable symptoms of coronavirus infection include coughing, sneezing, fever, and tiredness. However, some patients may have aches, pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild but might gradually increase if it is not detected on time.
More interestingly, some people develop coronavirus infection and remain asymptomatic .This means that they become infected but without developing any of the symptoms mentioned above.
Should I wear a mask to protect myself?
This is a very common question. And the simple answer to that question is, Yes. Masks function as barriers to avoid respiratory droplets from being spread from one person to another. Even if you are not ill, you should put on a face mask. This is because, research has shown that even if a person isn’t showing any symptom of being infected with the virus ,that person, if infected, can still transmit the virus. Contrary to popular belief that a mask only protects others and not you, wearing a face mask can also protect you from contracting the virus. According to CDC guidelines, everyone above 2 years of age should wear a mask when in a public setting.
Protecting Yourself From The Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Most people who have caught the COVID-19, coronavirus suffer little more than a mild illness which they soon recover from but this might be more severe for the elderly and patients with existing health conditions however you can stay on the safe side of things with these safety health tips listed below.
1. Avoid Touching Your Eyes And Mouth
One of the most important tips you should be mindful of is touching your eyes and mouth with your hands, it is very easy to transfer germs to your hand and from your hand get it transferred to other parts of your body. Your hands are constantly touching doorknobs, keyboards, taps, phones, and other numerous surfaces, so the virus could easily be picked up these ways and in turn, you could rub your face with your hands and transfer the virus to your body.
2. Clean Your Hands Often
Clean your hand thoroughly and often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public base, you should also use an alcohol-based sanitizer with a least 60% alcohol hand rub to kill any virus on your hands. Cover all surfaces of your hand with sanitizer and rub them together until it feels dry.
Cleaning your hands is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting ill and transferring germs from one person to another. You can’t necessarily control what you touch but you can try to keep your hands clean as washing with soap and water is a weapon against germs.
3. Maintain Social Distancing
Be aware of people around you that are sick and ensure to keep your distance from anyone coughing or sneezing. When in public places, at least 6 feet should be the distance between you and anyone. Social distancing involves remaining out of the congregate settings, avoid mass gathering and maintaining distance to limit the possibility of spreading the virus.
4. Practise Respiratory Hygiene
To prevent the transmission of this disease, you need to practice respiratory hygiene, if you cough or sneeze, throw the tissue used afterward into the trash or if you do not have a tissue at hand, try sneezing or coughing into the crook of your arm instead of using your hands. You should also try to avoid sneezing or coughing near other people.
Respiratory hygiene is a very important component in protecting yourself from any form of illness and also prevent you from transferring it to others. This is one of the standard precautions that should be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
5. Stay Home If You Are Sick
Stay home when you are sick and if you develop a fever, cough or difficulty breathing then it is advised you seek medical attention immediately, call in advance of your visit and follow the advice given by your local health provider. You also try to restrict activities outside your home except for medical attention. Restrict contacts with pets and animals as much as you can when you are sick with COVID-19.
6. Stay Informed
Accurate information about coronavirus (COVID-19) is very essential, ensure you stay informed with the right information at all times, be aware of fake news and misinformation which is everywhere on social media that can hamper the efforts of containing coronavirus. The latest information on coronavirus can be gotten by visiting trusted sources like the World Health Organisation information page.
Many countries around the world have seen cases of COVID-19 and several have definitely seen outbreaks. Authorities in China and some other countries have also succeeded in slowing or stopping the coronavirus outbreak however the situation is still pretty much unpredictable hence you should stay updated with the right information at all timees and adopt clean personal hygiene to prevent contamination.
References
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Considerations for Wearing Face Mask. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html
