Preventing Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

By Jo Lynn Chong

World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended the following basic measures to protect ourselves against the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that has devastated Hubei province in China.

1. Clean hands between preparing food, before eating, after toilet use, after handling animals, animal waste or animal products and after having contact with sick people or their environments.
2. When hands are visibly dirty, clean them with soap and running water.
3. When hands are not visibly dirty, frequently clean them using alcohol-based hand sanitiser or soap and water.
4. Avoid having contact with stray, sick or dead animals, spoiled meat, fluids and waste in markets and in public.
5. Wear protective clothing, gloves and facial protection when handling animals and animal products.
6. Follow good food safety practices when handling raw meat, milk or animal organs.
7. Use different chopping boards and knives for raw meat and cooked foods.
8. Do not eat sick animals and animals that died of diseases.
9. Avoid consuming raw or undercooked animal products.
10. Avoid travelling and having close contact with other people when you have fever and cough.
11. Avoid close contact with sufferers of fever and cough.
12. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
13. Disinfect working area and equipment at least once a day.
14. Remove protective clothing after work and wash daily.
15. Seek early medical care if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
16. Avoid spitting in public.
17. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough with flexed elbow or tissue, then immediately throw used tissue into a closed bin after use, followed by washing hands.
18. Maintain a distance of at least 1m (3ft) away from other people.
19. Cover your mouth and nose when you wear a mask and avoid touching the mask once it is on.
20. Immediately discard a single-use mask after each use and wash hands after removing the mask.