The World Health Organization (WHO) has now shared 5 new practical steps for everyone to follow.
Five things to help stop the spread of coronavirus
The World Health Organization is advising people to follow five simple steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:
1. Wash your hands
- after coughing or sneezing
- when caring for the sick
- before, during & after you prepare food
- before eating
- after toilet use
- when hands are visibly dirty
- after handling animals or animal waste
This step has repeatedly been argued for, but even though many have previously argued for its importance, it is no longer sufficient to contain the Coronavirus. In addition, the following steps should now be taken seriously:
2. Cough/sneeze into your elbow
- Completely cover your mouth & nose with a tissue or a sleeve or flexed elbow when coughing or sneezing
- Throw the used tissue into a closed bin immediately after use
- Clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub after coughing or sneezing and when caring for the sick
3. Don’t touch your face
4. Stay more than 3ft (1m) away from others
5. Stay home if you feel sick
The last 3 are self-explanatory. By touching your face, the pathogens have an easy chance to infect your if they have made it onto your hands. Face-touching is a natural and often hard to avoid behaviour (think of dogs who receive an Elizabethan collar). This is why it is so important to wash your hands.
Physical distance, on the other hand, makes it much harder for pathogens to spread from one person to another. Indeed, in many areas, it is now wise to minimize physical proximity to anyone unless necessary. Quarantining has now been made obligatory by many countries – including heavy fines for anyone who violates the new rules.
