From Influenza A to the new Wuhan Coronavirus, Malaysia has been on a roll with viruses. The recent Wuhan virus has been dominating all over the world and the media which in a way has raising panics and worries in everyone.
In Malaysia itself, we have temporarily suspended granting visas for all residents from China’s Hubei province, as well as stepping up the health screening at all international entry-points to the country.
As the epidemic continues to spread, no matter where you are, take these 10 simple measures to protect you and your children from contracting the Coronavirus.
1. When you are outside.
Wear gloves and a face mask! Despite the hot weather these days, it is advisable for you to wear gloves and keep them on especially if you often commute by using public transport such as LRT, MRT, public bus and others.
At the same time, bring along a hand sanitizer and disinfectant wet-wipes anywhere you go to clean your hands or any surfaces.
2. Once you remove your gloves.
For instance, you have to shake hands with someone or when you are about to eat where you should remove your gloves, do not touch your face or eyes until you wash your hands!
Keep your hands away from contact with your face. Before you put your gloves back on, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, scrubbing the fingers, and sanitize with a hand sanitizer. Once your hands are clean, then only you can put your gloves on.
Don’t forget to change the gloves daily, wash, and dry them thoroughly. Avoid wearing damp gloves as it will easily attract bacteria.
3. Face Mask.
Keep in mind that DO NOT use the same mask day after day! Most masks deteriorate after one or two wearings and wearing the same mask is the worst – urm, it is disgusting! This is because of the contents of your mouth and nose eventually coat the inside of the mask with a smelly veneer that is attractive to bacteria.
If you always sneeze or cough, you HAVE TO PUT on a mask. This is to protect other people around you from the potentially contaminated fluids. If you caught someone is sneezing or coughing, politely ask them to wear a face mask or cover their mouth and wash their hands immediately.
For your children, it is better to put on kid’s face mask on them as it will fit them perfectly.
4. Towels.
Remove all current towels from your bathrooms, kitchen and bedroom immediately, and replace them with a clean towel specifically for each family members. Do not share or use the other family member’s towel.
The most important of all, wash your towels twice a week and dry it thoroughly. A damp towel is a terrific home for viruses and bacteria.
5. Doorknobs.
Doorknob or door handles at home or in public are the most commonly touched surfaces. Bacteria can easily be transferred from one person to another from the doorknob.
If it’s possible, try to open and close the doors using your elbows or shoulders. Or else, wear a glove to turn a doorknob and wash your hands after touching it.
Don’t forget to sanitize the doorknob, stairway bannisters, desktops, cell phones, laptops and other hand-held objects regularly. Be mindful not to touch your face and wash your hand immediately after touching such objects.
6. Eating utensils, toys & baby chair.
Do not use personal utensils when you want to pick up food from a serving bowl or plate. Instead, place serving spoons in each dish, scoop the food that you want onto your personal plates or bowls and return the serving spoon to the main dish. One more thing, tell your children to never drink out of anybody else’s cups.
Once you are done with the kitchen utensils, clean your children’s toys and baby chair thoroughly with a natural, safe and non-toxic toys or surface cleaner to remove the dirt and bacteria. Bring along a travel-friendly multi-purpose cleaner/disinfectant to clean baby chair, table and utensils when you are eating outside with your family.
7. Foods and kitchenwares.
Wash all food, ingredients, and kitchenware thoroughly between meals and avoid restaurants that have poor hygiene practices.
8. Stay hydrated, drink warm water and more Vitamin C.
Stay hydrated and do not let your throat dry. Make sure to prepare and consume more healthy food that contains vitamin C for the entire family, to boost the immune system.
9. Well-ventilated.
Open the windows at home, work or in your car if the weather allows. Letting your space air out from time to time. The virus cannot linger in a well-ventilated space.
10. Caring for a sick person.
As a parent, we always prioritize our children among others. If any of your children or family member is running a fever, having bad cough or flu, make sure to take care of yourself as well. Wears a tight-fitting mask when you are near them and don’t forget to place one mask on your ailing children as well.
Please be extra careful when you are replacing the used mask from him or her. For the sake of your protection, it is advisable for you to handle it while wearing latex gloves, place the used mask inside a disposable container, seal it and throw it away immediately.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and clothing that covers your body when you are caring for your ailing children or family member.
Last but not least, clean everything that he/she wears or touches thoroughly in hot soapy water. This includes bedsheet, towels, utensils and others.
If you have extra space, carefully isolate your sick children in a room where he/she is comfortable, as long as he is separated from the rest of the household. This is to avoid others from getting infected. Make sure the room or your house is well-ventilated as well.
Coronavirus Symptoms
Other Important Things About Coronavirus
World Health Organization (WHO) shared a few important facts about Coronavirus that people should take note:
Coronavirus could have been controlled fairly easily a few weeks ago, but since the virus is spreading globally now, all we can do is to implement these simple precautions in hope to reduce the spread of the outbreak.
Stay safe, take common precautions, stay healthy and stay indoor most of the time. As frightening and worrying this could get, just trust in yourself that you will get through it.
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