Coronavirus Prevention Tips
Forget the garlic and hot bath. Real advice for staying healthy and preventing the spread of the coronavirus
Turn on the TV, pick up any newspaper or go online, and you’ll find lots of information – and misinformation -- about the coronavirus, from the latest infection rates across the D.C. metro area to so-called prevention tips. One interesting, but false claim: eating garlic prevents the virus. Not true! Other false claims that are spreading across the internet: taking a hot bath and using hand dryers will kill the virus.
At American Community Management, we are concerned about
your health as well as the health of your family and your community. To help
you separate fact from fiction, we have pulled together some top tips and
resources from experts on how to keep healthy and avoid spreading the virus if
you or a family member become sick.
Basic Protective Measures
Stay aware of the latest information on the virus via the WHO
website (World Health Organization) and local public health authorities in Maryland,
Washington, D.C., and Virginia.
Here are a few basic tips:
- Wash your hands frequently—and don’t forget your fingertips. According to Dr. Oz, there is a correct way to wash your hands to prevent the spread of germs. He also provided a “coronavirus survival guideline” during an interview with Fox News.
- Maintain social distancing. Maintain at least 3 feet distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
- Follow good respiratory hygiene. Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Dispose of the used tissue immediately.
Preventive Steps to Avoid Further Spread of Virus
The CDC has published guidelines
to help prevent the virus from spreading among people in their homes and in
other residential communities. These include:
- Stay home except to get medical care. People who are mildly ill with the virus can isolate at home during their illness. You should restrict activities outside of your home and avoid public transportation.
- Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home. Stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home if possible. Also, restrict contact with pets and other animals until more information is known about the virus and if pets can become sick with it.
- Wear a facemask. Wear a facemask when you are around other people in your home or pets and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office.
- Avoid sharing personal household items. Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, utensils, towels or bedding with other people or pets in your home.
Precautions for Household Members and Caregivers
- Make sure shared spaces in the home has good airflow, such as by an air conditioner or an open window.
- Wear a disposable facemask and gloves when you touch or have contact with the patient’s body fluids; dispose of facemasks and gloves after using them. Do not reuse it.
- Wash laundry thoroughly.
Visit the CDC’s
website for more detailed guidance on preventing the spread of the virus in
homes and residential communities.
Other resources:
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
Contributor: Pamela Russell & Aletha Peters
Contributor: Pamela Russell & Aletha Peters