Hygiene | Masks | Social distancing
The basic rules for protecting yourself against Covid-19:
- Don’t touch your face unless your hands are very clean.
- Stay at least two meters (six feet) from anyone else.
- Avoid crowds.
- Wash your hands well or use hand sanitizer.
- Wear a face mask and use it properly.
More basic rules for also protecting others:
- If you sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue or into your bent elbow.
- Stay at home if you feel sick.
- Call your doctor if you have symptoms of Covid-19
- Know about additional rules in your area (city, state, country, etc.)
Take special care (with mask and hygiene) when using public restrooms (toilet facilities). Close the lid before flushing, as flushing can create aerosol droplets that may contain the virus. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Sanitize your hands if you touch any part of the door when you leave.
Further details from the World Health Organization (WHO)
Remember also to clean or disinfect things or surfaces regularly that people touch, especially at home and when you don’t live alone.
Additional advice to protect yourself even more (they may or may not help, but they don’t hurt):
- Try not touching anything when you are away from your home.
- Wash or sanitize your hands afterwards if you do.
- Wash or disinfect things you bring into your home.
- Or leave them untouched near the front door for two or more days.
- Disinfect also what you bring back home (mobile phone, glasses, etc.).
- When you return home, take a shower and change your clothes.
- Keep things you only use outside near the front door.
- For example coat, umbrella, keys, etc.
For protecting you and others against catching Covid-19, remember the following “scientific facts”:
- This virus spreads by entering a body through the mouth, nose or eyes.
- Fingers can gather viruses by touching others or surfaces others touched.
- The virus can then enter the body from a person touching his/her face
- … or by inhaling droplets from the sneezing, cough or breath of others.
- Properly washing or sanitizing hands will destroy enough of the virus.
- Two meters (6 feet) between people considerably reduces spreading.
- The virus is also spread by infected individuals who do not seem sick.
- Masks provide additional protection.
- Disinfecting surfaces people may touch reduces the spread of this virus.
Recommended sites
Dr. Erin Bromage: The Risks – Know Them – Avoid Them
(moved or removed)
- A very helpful and informative text by an Associate Professor of Biology at UMass Dartmouth.