10 Simple Steps to Protect Yourself and Others From COVID-19

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is an infectious disease spread by the most recently uncovered coronavirus. Many people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others, particularly elderly adults and those with underlying medical comorbidities.

Here are some easy steps you can take to safeguard your health and others.

Everyone can follow these guidelines, but they are specifically crucial if you are in a place where people are believed to have COVID-19 (1).

Steps To Stop the Spread of COVID-19

1. Wash your hands regularly

Thoroughly and frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with water and soap.

Why? We frequently use our hands to touch surfaces and objects that may be contaminated. Without realizing it, we then contact our faces, transferring viruses to our nose, eyes, and mouth to infect us.

Cleaning off your hands with water and soap or using an alcohol-based hand rub kills germs that may be stuck on your hands — including the virus that causes corona.

[Also Read: Hand Sanitizer Vs Soap]

2. Avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouth

We unknowingly touch our faces without realizing it. Be aware of this, and avoid contacting your nose, eyes, and mouth.

Why? Hands touch various surfaces and can pick up germs. Once infected, hands can spread the virus to your nose, eyes, or mouth and then enter your body and make you ill.

3. Cover your cough

Be sure that you, and those around you, follow suggested respiratory hygiene. This means covering your nose and mouth with your elbow’s bend or with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. Dispose of the used tissue right away into a closed bin and sanitize your hands.

Why? When someone sneezes or coughs, they spread little liquid droplets from their mouth or nose, containing a virus. By covering your sneeze or cough, you avoid spreading germs and other infections to other people.

By making use of the bend of your elbow or a tissue wipe and not your hands to cover your sneeze or cough, you avoid transferring infected droplets to your hands. This prevents you from contaminating a surface or a person by contacting them with your hands.

[Also Read: How to Wear a Face Mask]

4. Skip crowded places and avoid close contact with anyone that has cough or fever 

Avoid densely packed areas, especially if you are over sixty or have an underlying health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure,  lung and heart diseases, or cancer. Maintain at least 1 meter of distance between yourself and anyone who has a cough or fever.

Why? COVID-19 spreads primarily by respiratory droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when a person who is contaminated coughs. By avoiding densely crowded places, you keep yourself distant (at least 1 meter) from people who may be contaminated with COVID-19 or any other respiratory disorder.

5. Stay at home if you feel unwell

Stay at home if you feel uneasy, even with a slight cough and fever.

Why? By home quarantining and not going to the office or other places, you will recover quickly and avoid transmitting diseases.

6. Seek Medical Care

If someone is suffering from cough, fever,  and  breathing difficulties, they should seek medical care early — but call immediately

Even if you have a mild fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing, seek medical intervention soon — if you can, call your health center or hospital or first to tell you where you should go. Why? This will ensure you get the proper advice, are directed to the right health facility, and prevent you from infecting others.

7. Get information from trusted sources

Stay informed about the latest information from COVID-19 from trusted sources. Ensure your information comes from genuine sources — your regional or national public health agency, the WHO (World Health Organization) website, or your local health provider.

Everyone should know the signs — for most people, it starts with a  dry cough and fever.

Why? National and regional authorities will have the most up-to-date data on whether COVID-19 is spreading in your place. They are best equipped to advise on what people in your location should be doing to protect themselves.

8. We know it’s tough, but try to bring down your stress levels.

Stress can impact our immune system, so do what you can to remain peaceful so that you’re getting accurate information, signing up for the alert systems provided by your local government.

Don’t argue with people on social media, which just adds another kind of stress, and limits your time on social media, so you skip constant lousy news and misinformation.

Also, eat a balanced diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, get plenty of sleep, hydrate, and exercise. And all of these steps will do a lot of good for your overall health, now and in the future.

[Also Read: Destress During Stressful Times]

9. Be diligent about disinfecting.

Thoroughly sanitize all joint use surfaces — bathrooms, countertops, computers, remotes, and spray or disinfectant wipes. It would be great if you also disinfected your cell phone.

If you use the gym, wipe down weights and machines with disinfectant spray before and after use — and maintain a distance of three to six feet between you and other exercisers.

[Also Read: Disinfect Your Home To Kill Coronavirus]

10. Separate Contaminated Laundry

Scientists are not sure how long the COVID-19 virus lives on clothing or fabric, some studies show the virus can survive on cardboards for over twenty-four hours and on plastic and metal for up to seventy hours.

Keep clothing worn while taking care of the sick; clothing dressed in public or clothing was worn for an essential job separate from another laundry.

Use a separate bin, preferably with a lid, and lined with a disposable bag specifically for these things. Change clothes immediately after coming home and sequester them with other exposed clothes.

Bottom Line

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge ahead, some may grow weary of continued infection control protocols and social distancing that are in place to help control the spread of the virus. But, as the virus continues its marathon worldwide, it’s essential to continue to take steps to help safeguard ourselves and others.