LOS ANGELES WIRE   |

March 28, 2024
Search
Close this search box.

12 Tips to Prevent Coronavirus Infection

The new coronavirus is officially called SARS-CoV-2, – which means severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Coronavirus disease 19 or COVID-19 could be due to an infection with that kind of virus.

SARS-CoV-2 is related to SARS-COV coronavirus, which, in the years 2002 to 2003, caused another form of coronavirus disease. Yet SARS-CoV-2 is distinct from other viruses, along with other coronaviruses, that we already have widely known.

There is evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted rather instantly and that life-threatening diseases can significantly affect some individuals. It can live long enough in the air and on surfaces to endanger everyone outside their houses, like other coronaviruses. Even then, although you don’t have symptoms, SARS-CoV-2 increases exponentially quicker inside the body.

However, also if you’ve never had complications, you could transmit the virus around.

Few people have experienced only mild to moderate symptoms, whereas others have severe symptoms of COVID-19. These are the medical facts that enable us to understand how we and others can help to protect ourselves.

Tips for prevention

Comply with the policies to stay guarded against SARS-CoV-2, from catching, carrying, and passing the disease.

1. Wash your hands frequently and carefully

Clean your hands for at least 20 seconds with antibacterial soap and warm water. Run the lather to your wrists, between your fingers, and under your fingernails. If you cannot wash your hands correctly in the first place, use a hand sanitizer. Wash your hands several times every day, and a couple more times or so after touching your phone or laptop.

2. Avoid touching your face.

The SARS-CoV-2 can live up to 72 hours on hard surfaces. If you touch a surface, such as a doorknob, gas pump handle, or your mobile phone, you could get the virus on your hands. 

Do not touch your head, mouth, nose, and eyes or any part of your face or head. Stop biting your fingernails as well. It can cause SARS-CoV-2 to enter your body from your hands. 

3. Stop shaking hands and hugging people — for now.

Avoid touching other people in the same way. From one human to the next, skin to skin contact can also transmit SARS-CoV-2. 

4. Don’t share personal items.

Do not share personal belongings, such as mobile phones, cosmetics, or combs. Straws and eating utensils should not be shared too. Begin to educate your children to recognize only their reusable cup, straw, and other utensils.    

5. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze

High amounts of SARS-CoV-2 is found in the nose and mouth. Air droplets can transmit SARS-CoV-2, and it can land on hard surfaces too that will remain up to three days. Use a tissue, cover your mouth or sneeze into your elbow, no matter what, keep your hands clean and washed after you sneeze or cough.

6. Clean and disinfect surfaces

Use alcohol-based disinfectants to clean hard surfaces and countertops, door handles, furniture, and toys, in your household. Clean all the things that you use daily. Sanitize parts of your house after you have brought home groceries or packages.

7. Take social distancing seriously.

Distancing from society means staying at home and working remotely where possible. If you have to go out for essential needs, keep a safe distance of about 6 feet from those around. You could spread the virus by talking to someone in close physical contact with you.

8. Do not gather in groups

It’s more likely that you’d be directly in contact with someone in a group or gathering. It means avoiding all religious worship places because you might have to sit or stand near a congregant. It includes gathering in parks or beaches, too.  

9. Avoid eating or drinking in public places.

Now may not be the time to go out for a meal. Coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and other establishments are prohibited to prevent the virus from spreading. It is still possible to get delivery or take-out the food. Pick the best foods that can be cooked thoroughly and heated afterward. 

High heat (at least 132 ° F/56 ° C, according to a recent, but non-peer – reviewed lab study) usually kills coronaviruses. It also means avoiding frozen food from restaurants, and all food buffets and open salad bars could have been for safety reasons. 

10. Wash fresh groceries

In a mixture of food-grade hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar, soak all the raw, whole fruits and vegetables you bought from the market. Let them dry before putting them in your refrigerator and cupboards. Vegetable antibacterial wash can also be used to disinfect the products. Wash your hands before handling fresh produce and afterward.  

11. Wear a (homemade) mask

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that in public settings where social distance can be complicated, such as grocery stores, almost everyone uses a cloth face mask.  

These masks, if used in good condition, will help to avoid people who are asymptomatic or not affected by speaking, sneezing, or cough transmitting SARS-CoV-2. In turn, this delays the spreading of the virus.        

The CDC’s website provides instructions to make your mask at home, with necessary materials like a T-shirt, and scissors.

Some pointers to keep in mind:

  • You cannot avoid a SARS-CoV-2 infection from wearing a mask alone. Respect must also be practiced with the handwashing and social (physical) distancing.
  • Cloth masks aren’t as reliable as most mask types like surgical masks or N95 respirators. Those other masks will, however, be reserved for healthcare professionals.          
  • Before you put your mask, wash your hands first.
  • After each use, wash your mask.
  • The virus from your hands could also be transferred to the mask. Avoid touching the front while you wear a mask.
  • You could even pass the virus onto your hands from the mask. Wash your hands if you make contact with the mask’s front.        
  • A mask should not be worn by a child under two years of age, an adult with breathing difficulties, or someone who cannot remove the cover on his or her own. 

Self-quarantine if sick

If you do have any health issues, consult your doctor immediately. Stay at home until you manage to recover. Even if you live in the same residence, avoid sitting, sleeping, or eating with your loved ones. Wash your hands as much as possible. Wear protective gear like a mask if you need urgent medical care and let them know you may have COVID-19. 

Why are these measures so necessary?

It is essential to follow the guidelines strictly because SARS-CoV-2 is different from other coronaviruses, such as SARS-COV, which is the most common. Exactly why we and others need to protect against a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak are ongoing medical studies. 

The bottom line

It is incredibly important to take these prevention strategies and drastic steps to help prevent the spread of this virus. Exercising good hygiene, according to those guidelines and encouraging your friends and family to do so, might go a lot of room for improvement. Still, for preventing SARS-CoV-2 from spreading, it might not be as bad as it looks to change for the safety of everybody, you know?

Share this article

Ambassador

This article features branded content from a third party. Opinions in this article do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of Los Angeles Wire.