It is no longer news that the coronavirus is spreading fast and that its impact on public health and the economy is considerable. As a virus that spreads very quickly and could potentially cause serious illness, it understandably causes concerns among a lot of people.

These few tips might help you in warding off the virus, protecting yourself and your family and preserving public health.

Stay at home

This is no longer a choice in many places as there is strict enforcement. However, if you still have the choice, then staying home is important as it reduces your chance of contracting the virus and if you already have the virus without knowing it, it prevents you from spreading it.

Understandably many people are worried about their livelihoods during this lockdown, which in itself is not good for their general health and wellbeing. This is, however, where the Government comes in. If a Government asks you not to go to work, then they must provide for you while you are at home.

Wash your hands

The importance of handwashing cannot be overemphasized. It helps to kill the virus in case you have touched a contaminated surface. Some will ask how often should I wash my hands or how do I know if a surface is contaminated? The answer to this is that all surfaces should be deemed contaminated. Therefore, you should wash your hands regularly after touching any surface. Yes, any surface. This way you keep your hands constantly clean.

Don’t touch your face

The hands carry lots of germs, not just the coronavirus. So touching your face could transfer the virus close enough to your nose for you to inhale.

In a similar vein, some have asked if wearing a facemask would protect against COVID-19. If you are not having close contact with other people, then face-masks are not necessary. However, if you have to be in close proximity to other people then it might offer some protection against the virus especially when someone else coughs or sneezes near you.

Eat well, stay hydrated, keep healthy

In these times, it is important to put the effort into keeping yourself as healthy as possible by ensuring that you eat regular healthy meals and keep yourself well hydrated by drinking water regularly. In addition, exercises like simple walking or dancing indoors can also help to keep your immunity up, as long as you avoid contact with other people as much as possible.

Avoid unnecessary use of drugs

In a bid to protect themselves against the virus some people will resort to self-medication with conventional or herbal medicines. It is however not advisable to do this as this could cause more harm than good if it’s not recommended by qualified health professionals. Many medications and herbal preparations can have unwanted and unseen effects like kidney or liver damage, so it is important to only take medications if it is deemed safe that you do so by qualified medical professionals.

Finally, in these times keeping safe should be a priority but we will do well to also remember those who cannot look after themselves. Our vulnerable neighbours, the elderly, disabled or those with long term medical conditions. Ensuring they are safe without putting them at risk will mean we all can make it through this pandemic and become better at looking after ourselves.

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