Precautions

Why should I Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth?

Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick. Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately. Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene, you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

Keep up to date on the latest COVID-19 hotspots (cities or local areas where COVID-19 is spreading widely). If possible, avoid traveling to places – especially if you are an older person or have diabetes, heart or lung disease.

Should I wear a mask to protect myself?

Only wear a mask if you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms (especially coughing) or looking after someone who may have COVID-19. Disposable face mask can only be used once. If you are not ill or looking after someone who is ill then you are wasting a mask. There is a world-wide shortage of masks, so WHO urges people to use masks wisely. The most effective ways to protect yourself and others against COVID-19 are to frequently clean your hands, cover your cough with the bend of elbow or tissue and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from people who are coughing or sneezing.

How to put on, use, take off and dispose of a mask?

1. Remember, a mask should only be used by health workers, care takers, and individuals with respiratory symptoms, such as fever and cough.
2. Before touching the mask, clean hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
3. Take the mask and inspect it for tears or holes.
4. Orient which side is the top side (where the metal strip is).
5. Ensure the proper side of the mask faces outwards (the coloured side).
6. Place the mask to your face. Pinch the metal strip or stiff edge of the mask so it moulds to the shape of your nose.
7. Pull down the mask’s bottom so it covers your mouth and your chin.
8. After use, take off the mask; remove the elastic loops from behind the ears while keeping the mask away from your face and clothes, to avoid touching potentially contaminated surfaces of the mask.
9. Discard the mask in a closed bin immediately after use.
10. Perform hand hygiene after touching or discarding the mask – Use alcohol-based hand rub or, if visibly soiled, wash your hands with soap and water.

Is there anything I should not do?

The following measures ARE NOT effective against COVID-19 and can be harmful:

Smoking Wearing multiple masks Taking antibiotics

In any case, if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing seek medical care early to reduce the risk of developing a more severe infection and be sure to share your recent travel history with your health care provider.

Can lock down INVOLVE MY family? How can I live with them under the same roof?

Yes, you can lockdown with your family if none of you are symptomatic or at high risk for the virus (travel history, contact history, healthcare worker at a center where there are cases or respiratory infections of unknown causes.) But you should maintain social distancing of at least two meters even at home.

What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of disease?

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus;

Clean your hands often

• Wash 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.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% 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

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Stay home as much as possible
• Put distance between yourself and other people.
• Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
• Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others

• You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
• Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities.
  • Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
• Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker.
• Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.

Cover coughs and sneezes

• If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Clean and disinfect
• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

I have a neighbor who is infected, what do I do?

If you have a fever AND/OR 1 respiratory symptom and have had CLOSE contact (within 1.5 meters) with someone who has a laboratory confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis within the last 14 days, you need to be tested. If asymptomatic and have had CLOSE contact (within 1.5 meters) with someone who has a laboratory confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis within the last 14 days, self isolate.

Burial

Those with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can be buried as usual.

Direct contact with human remains or bodily fluids should be minimized during transport of the body from the site of death and during reception at the designated body storage sites. Those in contact with the wrapped body should wear appropriate PPE to minimize exposure to infected bodily fluids, contaminated objects and other contaminated environmental surfaces. The suggested set of PPE is gloves and long-sleeved water-resistant gown.

Shrouding and preparation of the body for viewing and/or funeral can be performed by using appropriate standard precautions and PPE to prevent transmission through direct contact. Minimum requirements include gloves and long-sleeved water-resistant gown. Viewing of the body for mourners can be performed. If mourners or religious representatives are to touch the body, standard precautions and PPE preventing transmission through direct contact should be used. Minimum requirements include gloves and long-sleeved water-resistant gown. Staff need to ensure that mourners receive support in the appropriate use of PPE. In case of limited PPE availability or shortage of staff to supervise visitors, consider to restrict touching during viewing.