How to Help Protect Yourself and Others

Please take practical precautions.

There are still many unknowns about this new disease, that has been designated a pandemic (meaning world-wide consequences).  However, there are some things you can do to try to protect yourself and others around you.  They need to be followed consistently during this time:

1.      Avoid crowded places and public transportation – so self-quarantine when possible.

2.      Avoid touching surfaces and shaking hands.  You may wish to wear gloves when you know you will be out and about.  At this time, in Australia, non-latex gloves are available in boxes of 100 pairs and reasonably priced.  They need to be taken off and disposed properly.  (More on the use of gloves in a later post.)

3.      Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, scrubbing vigorously if you’ve been out in the public or exposed to someone suspected of having the virus.

4.      It is coincidentally flu season, so many may feel ill and more than usual may want to go to the hospital or doctors.  Try to avoid this.  If you feel you need help, call a health provider (doctor, clinic, hospital emergency room) rather than showing up and having to wait with other unwell people who may be infected and not know it.  Self-quarantine may be the best choice.  (In Australia the support of phone-based and visiting doctors is a great benefit.)

5.      Because this is a virus rather than a bacterium, the ‘virus germ’ is much smaller than a bacterium.  Additionally, because the COVID-19 virus is well protected by a barrier, unlike bacterium, it does not die easily when inadvertently deposited on a surface.

6.      Hand sanitisers (that rely on alcohol) have not been found to be effective, although they do give a sense of doing something and may be most effective in reminding you to keep your hands clean and away from your face.

7.      Face masks may be helpful, but they must be of the proper type (N-95 Mask – more in another segment of the blog on masks and proper wearing of them).  They must be worn correctly (again the virus is very small) and will slip through little cracks and porous materials.

8.      Glasses (or goggles) may also be helpful should you be exposed to someone who coughs or sneezes nearby as these droplets are small and travel through the air and may land on your face and eyes.

For Australians, this resource may be of interest:  An overview as of the 8th February by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR0lgj0N2DI

HINT:  It may be good to buy a few masks now while they are available and not priced for the market value (meaning when there is a great need someone will sell the masks but at a hugely inflated price).  It may be good to also have some other basic supplies on hand, as you may find yourself quarantined.