Precautions of COVID-19

Stay Home

Why Stay Home during COVID-19?

  • The fewer people you’re around, the lower your chance of infection. When you stay home, you help stop the spread to others, too. Don’t go to crowded places. If your community is under shelter-in-place orders, follow proper guidelines for when you can leave your home. Keep a stock of supplies like food and medicine, so you can hunker down when you need to.
  • The main way COVID-19 spreads is from person-to-person contact. “Contact” is more than touching. When someone coughs or sneezes near you, droplets from their nose and mouth go into the air. Droplets from a person with COVID-19 have the virus in them. If you breathe the droplets in, the virus gets into your system.
  • To protect yourself, you should practice social distancing. This includes staying at least 6 feet away from other people.

Maintain Social Distance

Social distancing is an essential way to slow down the spread of COVID-19. And it's important that you follow the social distancing recommendations in your community, whether you're in one of the high-risk groups or not.

  • Researchers say that SARS-CoV-2’s rapid spread is likely due to the movements of people with no or very mild symptoms — namely, those who are unaware that they even have the virus. That is why social distancing is such an important containment measure, they explain.
  • The authors of the Eurosurveillance analysis suggest that the high proportion of COVID-19 cases on the cruise ship may have had something to do with what they estimate was a significant number of asymptomatic cases. In fact, they say that as many as 17.9% of the cases may have produced no symptoms.
  • For these reasons, researchers maintain that social distancing is the most effective measure of containing the spread of the new coronavirus: Every person who limits their social contact can become a broken link in the chain of contagion.

Greet with Namaste or Handshake

Countries across the globe have been taking special measures to stop the Coronavirus infection.

Since people are afraid of air kisses, hugs and handshakes as a way of greeting, Namaste as a greeting gesture has started making sense to many people. People around the world are worried that shaking hands, hugging and kissing on the cheek might help spread the virus.

Here are examples from around the globe where Namaste is accpeted and practised to keep the Social Distancing Norms:

  • Images of US President Donald Trump and Prince Charles opting to use the Indian greeting over a handshake went viral. After his return from India's tour in February, US President Donald Trump, in a public interview, said that he did not shake any hands in India. All he did was simply do a Namaste!
  • On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appealed to the public that they should avoid shaking hands as he does. Instead, they can try the Indian greeting, a Namaste.
  • In the UK, Prince Charles, who recently recovered from Coronavirus infection, was captured by the press arriving at a red carpet event. However, in the nick of time, he avoided shaking hands with the people who were at the venue to receive him, and did a quick Namaste instead.

Cover your Cough

How to Stop the Spread of Germs When Coughing or Sneezing?

Properly covering your coughs and sneezes is very important to reduce spreading germs when you’re ill. While sneezing and coughing may not always be linked to a serious illness, they are symptoms of the flu and COVID-19, so to protect others around you, practice these steps towards proper coughing and sneezing etiquette.

Cough Etiquettes

  • Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose every single time you cough or sneeze. (Resort to coughing into your elbow if a tissue is not available. Never cough into your hands or open air.)
  • Always turn your face away from people around you when coughing or sneezing.
  • Place your used tissue immediately in the trash can.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 to 95% alcohol after you cough or sneeze.

Wash hands often

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.

  1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.