Some important precautionary measures to prevent Covid-19 spread in Communities: –
- Use paper tissues in front of your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Throw away the tissue in a covered wastepaper bin and wash your hands afterwards.
- If you do not have a tissue to hand, sneeze or cough into your elbow, rather than into your hand.
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly, particularly when you have been out amongst other people.
- Cleaning your hands with an alcohol-based disinfectant is a good alternative if you are not immediately close to soap and running water.
- Avoid shaking hands, instead you raise your hands to greet, i.e. say Salaamun Alaikoum or Ahlan Wa Sahlaan.
- In public gathering or in mosques, use disposable glasses for drinking water, juices, tea and coffee etc. After use, disposable glasses, napkins etc. should be deposited in the dustbins provided.
People who are sick can reduce the chance of passing on the virus by avoiding coughing and sneezing directly on to others and keeping a distance of at least one metre wherever possible. But the above advice also applies if you are not sick, as the virus can be present in your respiratory system even if you do not have the resultant illness.
Good hand hygiene is recommended as good practice for everybody – healthy or otherwise. If your hands become wet or dirty, wash them with soap and water as soon as you can.
As coronavirus is a respiratory infection, it is recommended to take measures to prevent infection that would also be effective against other types of respiratory infection – such as influenza or the common cold.
As such, the mouth, eyes and nose are the most common routes via which the virus can be transported from one person to another. That can be via droplets which travel in the air (including when sneezing, coughing or speaking) or by leaving particles on surfaces (also by, for example, sneezing and coughing) which are then touched by another person.
Therefore, good hand hygiene is a helpful measure to reduce the chance of passing the virus. Other health authorities have also encouraged avoiding touching your face with your hands.
“A Guide for Communities” – prepared by NASIMCO in an effort to increase safety and awareness in the community centres. The document herewith enclosed has been widely circulated, there are useful information to protect Communities from Covid-19. Please share this with members of the Communities.
YOUR HEALTH IS OUR PRIORITY
SECRETARIAT
THE CENTRAL HEALTH BOARD OF AFRICA FEDERATION
4th March 2020