The virus is called Sars-CoV-2, and the lung disease it causes is called Covid-19. More and more people are afraid of the corona virus spreading further. How do you protect yourself from the coronavirus?
Many rumours are spreading across the world about Coronavirus and rumours are known to cause mass hysteria. Coronavirus is not as dangerous as social media says it is. We bring you a few useful tips on how to protect yourself from the coronavirus.
Protect against coronavirus
Corona virus started spreading from animals to humans, but now it is spreading from person to person. The infection works both via droplet infection and smears infection, which means you can get infected through not only sneezing or coughing but also through touch.
It also spreads through objects. Imagine that an infected person sneezes into his hand and then opens a door. You want to go through the door shortly afterwards, touch the doorknob and shortly after that, your eye itches. Carelessly, you scratch yourself and pathogens land on your eye and thus on a mucous membrane. It makes it easy for pathogens to penetrate the body and infect.
You most likely do not need to be afraid of infection from goods delivered from China. It has not yet been calculated precisely how long the virus can survive on surfaces without a host. However, there are still no known cases of infection via shipped items.
The virus doesn’t always trigger symptoms.
Sars-CoV-2 is the name of the virus that first appeared in Wuhan, China and triggers the lung disease COVID-19. This, in turn, is manifested by symptoms such as coughing, breathing problems and, in many cases, fever. If the disease is severe, pneumonia can also occur. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around a quarter of the cases are challenging, especially in old and previously-ill people. Around 95 percent of all infected people recover well without any problems. Treatment is the same as other respiratory diseases. An attempt is made to combat the symptoms. There is currently no specific therapy for Sars-CoV-2.
Along with knowing how to protect yourself from the coronavirus, it is also essential to understand how to protect others from the disease of you are already infected. The corona virus is not as contagious as influenza or the highly contagious measles. So far, however, this is only an assessment. The tricky thing about this new type of coronavirus is that it can already be transmitted if the person infected does not yet experience any symptoms. In fact, the virus does not trigger symptoms in all the affected people. Some people don’t notice anything at all, but they can still infect others. This is precisely why protection against infections is so important.
How to protect yourself from coronavirus
1. Wash your hands thoroughly regularly. It does not mean that you need to let the water run over your hands like we usually do but rather soap your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.
2. Disinfectants can help. For chemical disinfection, use agents with proven effectiveness, like the ones that mention the terms, ‘limited virucidal,’ ‘limited virucidal PLUS’ or ‘virucidal.’ These disinfectants are effective against enveloped viruses. But don’t overdo it, because disinfectants can dry out the skin, which is only a natural barrier against pathogens if it is intact.
3. Keep at least 1.5 meters away from the infected. It is the most common way amongst others in how to protect yourself from the coronavirus.
4. Ventilate well and especially in large offices. A good air exchange keeps a possible virus concentration in the air low.
5. Keep yourself informed, but watch out for fake news. The WHO regularly reveals incorrect information on its websites like the UV lamps and hand dryers do not kill the virus, and bathing in alcohol or chlorine does not help either. Nose sprays also do not help against infection, just as little as the consumption of garlic or sesame oil. And the infection via dog and cat does not take place that way either. The animals do not serve as hosts for the coronavirus.
To protect others, you should maintain distance.
These tips apply not only to those infected with the corona virus but should also be heeded for any other infection, including flu or a simple cold. It is not only helpful for your family and friends but also for the rest of the world. If you are infected with CoronaVirus, you need to:
1. Keep your distance from others at all costs. If possible, you should take care of yourself anyway, stay at home and recover. This also protects you from complications that can occur even after a simple cold.
2. If you notice that you have to sneeze or cough, turn away from other people and keep a distance of at least one meter if possible.
3. Try not to sneeze into your hands, as you may touch things like door handles later. It is best to sneeze, if possible, in a paper handkerchief that you can then dispose of in the trash can with a lid and trash bag. If you don’t have a paper napkin, you can sneeze or cough in the crook of the arm.
4. Use disposable handkerchiefs to clean your nose. If you use cloth handkerchiefs, wash them regularly at 60 ° C.
5. Wash your hands thoroughly after sneezing or coughing.
Do face masks help?
Face masks in pharmacies sell like hotcakes. But whether they actually help is controversial, they make more sense when infected people wear them.
The demand for face masks is just so high that many pharmacies leave a note saying ‘Face masks sold out.’ But the benefits are controversial, at least to protect against infection. According to the doctors, the material and the correct fit of the mask are decisive. They make more sense if they are worn by infected people or people suspected of having an infection to protect other people. This further limits the risk of transmission.
In any case, you should protect both your social circle and other fellow human beings. Report sick at work, as you would do otherwise even with a cold or flu. Anyone who has had contact with infected people should report to a hospital, regardless of the symptoms. It also applies if you are currently travelling in another country. You need to understand what the virus entails and how to protect yourself from the coronavirus.