Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has made most of the world anxious and worried about their safety. China has been majorly affected by it with reports of hundreds of deaths related to it circulating over media outlets. The virus didn’t just stay in China as reports of its outbreaks in other countries have created panic globally.
The usual strains of Coronaviruses cause several respiratory diseases such as MERS-CoV (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS-CoV (Acute Respiratory Syndrome), but the new strain nCoV is unpredictable and erratic in its course.
Infected individuals with a strong immune system can recover within days, but the virus is still deadly for people with a weak immune system.
If you want to feel safe, then pick up the following coronavirus safety precautions to stay healthy among all this chaos:
How to Protect Yourself From Coronavirus
Wash your hands
Use a medicated soap and clean water to wash your hands before and after eating and defecting. Spend at least 20 seconds to clean your hands to get rid of all the germs and dirt. If you don’t have access to water all the time, then keep a hand sanitizer or medicated wipes in your bag and pocket, respectively.
People who are already suffering from cold and flu will have to wash their hands more frequently than others to avoid passing their germs to them.
Stay Vigilant in Public Places
Try to maintain distance from people in public places since you won’t know who is infected and who is not. Furthermore, if you see someone wearing a mask, coughing, or sneezing, then maintain a distance of at least 3 feet (1 meter) from them to avoid getting infected.
According to researches, people expel liquid from their mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing. These droplets are the carriers of viruses and other germs and can infect healthy individuals through the respiratory intake.
Don’t Touch your Face Unnecessarily
Like most viruses, Coronavirus can be transferred to a healthy individual via skin to skin contact. So, avoid touching your face, especially mouth, nose, and ears unnecessarily.
Focus on Hygiene
A hygienic individual has fewer chances of getting sick, therefore follow the basic hygiene routine suggested by WHO. Bath frequently, keep your hair and nails clean and wear neat clothes to ward off possible illnesses.
Wear A Mask
Viruses spread through airborne droplets and body contact, and COVID-19 is no exception. Wearing a facemask is the safest thing you can do for yourself as it prevents direct contact with the air. Amidst the coronavirus chaos, CDC (Centers for Disease Control) in America has released special instructions to wear facemasks. These instructions are as follows:
- Only infected individuals and people who are taking care of them should wear a mask.
- Wear a facemask even when you are not infected with the Coronavirus but have a cold or flu.
- Don’t forget to clean your hands with alcohol-based sanitizers and wipes before putting on a facemask.
- Dispose of off single-use facemasks when they start getting damp.
- Do not leave any gaps between your mask and face.
- Remove your facemask from its strings instead of removing them from the front.
- Throw away the used masks in a closed bin or airtight bag instead of just disposing of them carelessly.
- Don’t touch your mask frequently when you are outdoors.
Stay Indoors
This might seem too extreme, but avoid going to public places and events if there are reports of the corona outbreak in your city or town. Public places are the main reasons behind the rapid spread of any virus and diseases as people are not cautious of who they are touching and if they are invading someone’s personal space or not.
Disinfect your House
You can clean yourself and avoid public places as much as you like but what about your house? Disinfect all the surfaces in your house that you can reach especially, doorknobs, doors, windowsills, dining tables, and other frequently used surfaces.
Moreover, use medicated or alcohol-based chemicals to clean your house, and don’t forget to vacuum your house often.
Stay Informed About Local Health Protocols
You must stay updated about the precautionary information and protocols shared by your local medical center. Furthermore, you must know how the administration of your children’s schools plan to handle an outbreak as well as the company where you work.
What Are the Symptoms of Coronavirus
Following are some of the coronavirus symptoms you should know about:
Dry Cough
The first symptom of being infected with any strain of coronavirus is frequent dry cough and shortness of breath. Infected individuals will find it extremely difficult to breathe normally and will experience dry cough.
Respiratory Diseases
As mentioned before, SARS- CoV, and MERS-CoV are the two common respiratory disease caused by many coronavirus strains, but the respiratory diseases caused by the new nCoV strain is still unknown. Therefore, be aware of any complications in your respiratory tract and get yourself treated immediately if you find it difficult to inhale and exhale.
Fever
Coughing and respiratory diseases are always accompanied by high fever as it is our body’s usual defense to ward off foreign bodies in the bloodstream.
Severe Cases
If the initial symptoms of the COVID-19 are not monitored, then you will find it difficult to recover from the viral attack in the next stage. Extreme cases of Coronavirus will lead to kidney failure and pneumonia and, eventually, death. Therefore you must stay vigilant and get yourself tested at the initial stage.
