Facts On The Coronavirus And Advice To Stop The Spread of The Virus
We know it’s been very hard to escape talk of the coronavirus.
And although it is correct to be concerned, the hysteria and mis-information around it has been very unhelpful. So, here are some facts on the coronavirus and some helpful and easy advice to try stop the spread of the virus.
What is coronavirus?
COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It’s caused by a virus called coronavirus.
How coronavirus is spread
Coronavirus is spread in sneeze or cough droplets.
You could get the virus if you:
- come into close contact with someone who has the virus and is coughing or sneezing
- touch surfaces that someone who has the virus has coughed or sneezed on
Close contact means either:
- face-to-face contact
- spending more than 15 minutes within 2 metres of an infected person
- living in the same house as an infected person
Some Things To Do To Stop The Spread Of Coronavirus
I mean you should probably be doing all this stuff anyway even if you don’t have coronavirus TBH because it’s just good hygiene…
- Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough with a tissue or your elbow not your hands. Coronavirus is spread through sneeze or cough droplets, so it’s very important to limit this.
- Keep your distance from people, especially if they have a cold or are coughing.
- Keep washing your hands. Medical professionals are recommending that you wash your hands at least 10 times a day. Wash your hands when you get home after being out and before you eat.
- Put used tissues into a bin and wash your hands.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces – don’t forget your mobile phone!
- Use hand sanitiser as an additional protection – washing your hands is paramount, but hand sanitiser is handy to keep in your bag when you’re out and about. When you think about the gross things that we come into contact everyday you’re probably in more danger of catching a general sickness. Not really coronavirus related, but I find it gross handling money, so I use hand sanitiser after handling money.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
- Don’t use a face mask if you feel well and do not have symptoms – there’s no evidence that using masks is of any benefit if you are not sick.
Some Things To Keep In Mind…
- The risk of infecting the Coronavirus is still deemed as relatively low.
- More people are more at risk from the common flu every year – a sad but true fact.
- Do follow all advice from your school and medical professionals.
- Don’t spread germs or gossip. It’s a confusing and worrying time for everyone and if someone is sick they don’t need to be the subject of WhatsApp groups. Be kind and consider the human impact.
The main advice that we have is to be aware of whats going on and follow all professional advice on coronavirus, but there’s no need to be too stress out about it.
There is further up-to-date information about the Coronavirus on HSE.ie.