Vademecum: How to stay safe and prevent COVID-19

The world is currently at its trying times, with the rapid increase in the number of infected residents from different countries and the fatality that is continuously growing, COVID-19 Virus is something should be taken seriously. The battle against this type of virus is not an easy challenge not just for a regular citizen but most especially for health practitioners who are more exposed to this infectious and fatal disease and to the national government who are implementing precautionary measures to control the wide-spread of the virus. No one has seen this coming, all we have to do now is to fight the contagious infection.

We all learned the bits and pieces of lessons about Corona Virus and how did it put everyone to test. Moving forward, we were more educated and prepared about this disease and the preventive measures in battling this type of illness.

Before we go through the proper ways to avoid the mentioned disease, let us talk about the virus itself and its origin. What is Corona Virus? Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or MERS-CoV and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS-CoV. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a new strain that was discovered in 2019 and has not been previously identified in humans.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic or transmitted between animals and people. Its common symptoms include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.

How COVID-19 spreads:

From one person to another. The virus spreads mainly from person-to-person
Between people who are in close contact with one another
When an infected person coughs or sneezes produces respiratory droplets. These droplets can touch the mouth or nose of people who are nearby or can be possibly inhaled by lungs.

Contact with contaminated surfaced or objects. The possibility is high if a person touches a surface or object that has a coronavirus on it and then touches his mouth, nose or eyes.

The virus that causes COVID-19 seems to be spreading easily and sustainably in the community where people have been infected with the virus in an area, including people who are not sure how or where they have been infected.

There is currently no vaccine or treatment for this disease. Symptoms of the virus usually go away on their own.

World Health Organizations have already released statements or recommendations on how to prevent the spreading of this infection:

Limit your contact with people outside your family as much as possible.
Avoid non-essential gatherings
Frequently wash your hands
Avoid crowded places such as concerts, arenas, conferences, and festivals
Limiting contact with people who have poor health
Avoid common greetings, such as handshakes, hugs, and the likes
Maintain at least six feet distance between yourself and anyone outside your family.
Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing and throw used tissues in the trash.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 70% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
During a COVID-19 outbreak in your community, stay at home to further reduce your risk of exposition to the virus. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Stay at home if you are sick, except you are getting medical care.
Clean and disinfect frequently high-touch surfaces daily in your homes, such as counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tables, faucets, sinks, and bedside tables.
If surfaces are dirty, clean them with detergent or soap prior to disinfection.
If a family member or a friend has traveled outside your country, it is recommended to self-isolate themselves for 14 days. These efforts will contribute to slow down the introduction and spread of the disease.

These common household disinfectants that will work and are appropriate for the surface are:

Diluting your household bleach.

Household solution mix is composed of 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach for every gallon of water or 4 teaspoons of bleach for every quarter of water. Just follow the instructions written at the back of the bleach’s bottle for application and proper ventilation. Check its expiration date to ensure that the bleach will be effective in disinfecting against coronaviruses.

Alcohol solution that has at least 70% alcohol.

Wear a face mask

If sick: wear a facemask when there are other people around and before entering a health care provider’s office. Whether unable to wear a facemask, then do your best to cover coughs and sneezes. People who are accompanying or taking care of you should wear a facemask upon entering your room.