• What to do if someone is sick in your household ?
Isolate the sick person
- Prepare a separate room or isolated space, and keep distance from others.
- Keep the room well ventilated and open windows frequently.
Reduce contact with the virus
- Identify one household member to be the contact person who is not at high risk and has the fewest contacts with people outside.
- Wear a medical mask if in the same room as the sick person.
- Use separate dishes, cups, eating utensils and bedding from the sick person.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
Take care of the sick person
- Monitor the sick person's symptoms frequently.
- Pay special attention if the person is at high risk for serious illness.
- Ensure the sick person rests and stays hydrated.
* Call your healthcare provider immediately if you see any of these danger signs: Difficulty Breathing, Chest Pain, Confusion, Lost of speech or mobility.
• Maintain at least a 1 meter distance between yourself and others to reduce your risk of infection when they cough, sneeze or speak.
• Avoid 3Cs: Spaces that are closed, crowded or involve close contact.
• Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. This eliminates germs including viruses that may be on your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces and pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and infect you.
• Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose the used tissue immediately into a closed bin and wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently especially those which are regularly touched.
• Know the full range of symptoms of Covid-19.
The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, dry cough and tiredness. Other symptoms that are less common and may affect some patients include loss of taste or smell, aches and pains, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, red eyes, diarrhoea or a skin rash.
• Stay home and self-isolate even if you have minor symptoms such as cough, headache, mild fever until you recover. If you need to leave your house or have someone near you, wear a mask to avoid infecting others.
• If you have a fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, seek medical attention immediately. Call by telephone first if you can and follow the directions of your local health authority.
• Should I avoid shaking hands because of the new coronavirus ?
- Yes. Respiratory viruses can be passed by shaking hands and touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Greet people with a wave, a nod or a bow instead.
• Is wearing rubber gloves while out in public effective in preventing the new coronavirus infection ?
- No. Regularly washing your bare hands offers more protection against catching Covid-19 than wearing rubber gloves. You can still pick up Covid-19 contamination on rubber gloves. If you then touch your face, the contamination goes from your gloves to your face and can infect you.
• How should I wash fruits and vegetables in the time of Covid-19 ?
- Wash them the same way you would in any other circumstances. Before handling them, wash your hands with soap and water. Then wash fruits and vegetables throughly with clean water, especially if you eat them raw.
• How can I grocery shop safely in the time of Covid-19 ?
- While grocery shopping, keep at least 1 meter distance from others and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. If possible, sanitize the handles of shopping trolleys or baskets before shopping. Once home, wash your hands thoroughly and also after handling and storing your purchased products. There is currently no confirmed case of Covid-19 transmitted through food or food packaging.
• Can Covid-19 be spread through coins and banknotes ?
- There is currently no evidence to confirm or disprove that Covid-19 virus can be transmitted through coins or banknotes. However, respiratory droplets expelled from an infected person can contaminate and persist on surfaces. Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly after touching any frequently-touched surface or object, including coins or banknotes. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, if your hands are not cleaned.
• How should I wash and dry clothes, towels and bed linen, if someone in my household is a suspected or confirmed Covid-19 patient ?
- Wash the patient's clothes, towels and bed linen separately.
- If possible, wear heavy-duty gloves before handling them.
- Never carry soiled linen against your body. Place soiled linen in a clearly labelled, leak-proof container (e.g. bag, bucket).
- Scrape off solid excrement (e.g. faeces or vomit) with a flat, firm object and dispose off in the patient's toilet before putting linen in the designated container. Place the excrement in a covered bucket to dispose off in the toilet, if this is not in patient's room.
- Wash and disinfect linen: Machine wash at 60-90℃ with laundry detergent. Alternatively, soak linen in hot water and soap in large drum, using a stick to stir, avoiding splashing. If hot water is not available, soak linen in 0.05% chlorine for approximately 30 minutes. Rinse with clean water and let linen dry in sunlight.
- Do not forget to wash your hands at the end of the process.
• BE SMART
- Follow the news on latest coronavirus updates.
- Don't spread rumors.
• BE SAFE
- Avoid crowded areas or places where you might interact with people who are sick if you are 60+ or if you have an underlying condition like: Cardiovascular Disease, Respiratory Condition, Diabetes.
- Adopt practical measures to stay safe.
• BE KIND
- Check in regularly especially with those affected.
- Encourage them to keep doing what they enjoy.
- Provide calm and correct advice for children.
- Show solidarity with affected people.
- Tell the stories of people who have experienced the virus.
UJWAL LAMSAL
