Health | Hygiene | Tips For The New Normal

Health and Hygiene For The New Normal

Corona-virus pandemic has made this world a difficult a place to live in, the most important thing we should do is it to maintain certain hygiene and stay healthy. While research into the COVID-19 virus is ongoing, we know the virus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (through coughing and sneezing), and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus.  

As of now, there is neither any vaccine available nor proven home remedy to protect us from the COVID-19, taking care of our health and hygiene will go a long way. Self-care is the key to fight the current situation. Keeping yourself healthy and safe will not only help those around you but the nation as a whole “if you can’t take care of yourself, how will you take care of others”. 

Health and hygiene go hand in hand. Without proper hygiene, you cannot live a healthy life. Hygiene is a science of health. The conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness is called hygiene.

As per World Health Organisation (WHO) we can reduce our chances of being infected or spreading COVID-19 by taking some simple precautions:

1. Clean your hands

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands. 

Wash your hands:

• After coughing or sneezing

• When caring for the sick

• Before, during and after you prepare your food

• Before eating

• After toilet use

• When hands are visibly dirty

• After handling animals or animal waste

2. Avoid touching eyes, mouth and nose

Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and infect you. So, its best you avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.

3. Don’t cough or sneeze into your hands 

Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately and wash your hands. Why? Droplets spread the virus. By following good respiratory hygiene, you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

4. Take a bath every day

Bathing or showering is very important for personal hygiene as we are exposed to all kinds of environment. Therefore, we are prone to suffer from their impacts if we don’t shower every day. Another reason behind it is we all face sweating every now and them. If left to its fate the sweat becomes a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Also, you should wash your hair every 2nd or 3rd day to keep them clean as well. 

5. Keep your distance

Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and others. Why? When someone coughs, sneezes, or speaks they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain the virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person has the disease.

6. Stay-at-home

Stay home and self-isolate even with minor symptoms such as cough, headache, mild fever, until you recover. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house, wear a mask to avoid infecting others. Why? Avoiding contact with others will protect them from possible COVID-19 and other viruses.