WHO Guidelines on Prevention of CORONAVIRUS
As per World Health Organization (WHO), there is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
Basic protective measures against the coronavirus:
- Wash your hands frequently
· Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
· Why?: Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.
- Maintain social distancing
· Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
· Why?: When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
· Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick. - Practice respiratory hygiene
· Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.
· Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.
- If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early
· Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of health advisor.
· Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.
- Practice food safety
· Use different chopping boards and knives for raw meat and cooked food.
· Wash your hands between handling raw and cooked food.
- When to use a mask
· If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
· Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
· Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- How to put on, use, take off and dispose of a mask
· Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
· Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
· Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
· Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks.
· To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- In effective methods of killing coronavirus.
· Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (i.e. eyes, mouth).
· Hand dryers are not effective in killing the new coronavirus
- Is it safe to receive a letter or a package from China?
· Yes, it is safe. People receiving packages from China are not at risk of contracting the new coronavirus. From previous analysis by WHO coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or packages.
- Can pets at home spread the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV)?
· At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus. However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This protects you against various common bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.
- Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?
· People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
· WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.