As already mentioned earlier washing your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and water and using an alcohol based sanitizer in between and coughing or sneezing into your shoulder or elbow and not into your hands or in the air are the most effective ways to keep the virus from spreading. Not only that it's a good idea for everyone to follow these preventive measures at all times, but people should use every opportunity to educate others around them and remind everyone of the importance of doing their part in stopping the virus not only for their own sake, but also to help protect those among us who are more susceptible to getting seriously sick.
Always leave at least 3 feet or 1 meter (preferably around 6 feet or 2 meters) space between you and others and avoid unnecessary contacts with people such as handshaking and hugging and avoid directly touching objects that others have been touching frequently such as elevator or ATM buttons or screens (use the end of a pen or something like that to press the buttons and be sure not to put the pen in your mouth). Also try to use your elbow to open doors whenever possible so that your hands donโt have to come in contact with the door.
Be specially careful when using public bathrooms (best not to use them unless if you absolutely have to). If a disposable seat cover is not available or that you don't have a way of sanitizing the toilet seat then use some toilet paper and vigorously and rapidly rub on the seat with enough pressure so that the heat created from the friction can kill the viruses and bacteria that might be on the surface, be sure to use enough toilet paper so that your hands don't come in contact with the toilet seat directly while cleaning it. Clean the toilet seat the same way after you are finished, also use a piece of paper towel to open the bathroom door with so that your hands are not exposed to germs now that you have washed them. Use hot water to wash your hands whenever possible and make sure not to open the faucet all the way so that the water from the inside of the sink doesn't splash on you. Use a piece of paper towel to close the faucet and shake the excess water off of your hands and let them dry naturally instead of using bathroom hand dryers specially avoid using the ones that blow air upwards towards your face. (remember the less splashing there is at the urinal or the toilet the less chances of the existing germs of becoming dislodged and coming into contact with you through airborne droplets.)
Sanitize your personal items such as phone, pen, keys, purse, wallet, , remote control, glasses, briefcase, keyboard, and other similar things before you leave home and also after you return (do the same at the office too). Keep in mind that the Coronavirus can last in the environment and on certain objects from 2 hours up to several days depending on the level of humidity and temperature and the type of surface.
Avoid unnecessary touching and petting of your dogs and cats and if you have to do it be sure to wash your hands both before and after. You can move your hand above their head as if you were petting them without actually touching them to let your pets know that you still love them. it might be a good idea to not let your pets leave your yard and stray around in the neighborhood, try to keep them under close supervision while outside and don't allow others to come in contact with them or pet them, for now it might be best to just keep them at home to be on the safe side. Although it's been said that the Coronavirus might not be affecting dogs and cats directly, but they could acquire some of the virus on their coats or on their tongue through contact with infected persons or contaminated objects. Wash your hands both before and after handling the objects and utensils that you use for cleaning, feeding, or as toys. Keep your pets and all things related to them in a clean condition. Keep in mind that even though that your dog or cat might not be directly susceptible to Covid-19 at this time, but there are other strains that they could catch which could affect their gastrointestinal system, so if your pet shows any signs of sickness be sure to consult with your veterinarian. Don't abandon your pets out of fear, take care of them the same way that you would take care of your other family members.
One good thing about washing your hands with soap and water is that not only that the soap can help kill some of the virus, but by making your hands slippery it dislodges the virus and washes them away. If you don't have hospital grade soap it might be a good idea to also use some sanitizer or rubbing alcohol on your hands after you have washed them with soap. Be sure to wash and sanitize your wrists too maybe all the way to your elbows specially after you have returned home. Also as already mentioned avoid touching your face (eyes, ears, mouth, and nose) and if you have to do it then wash your hands both before and after.
Try to use this opportunity to become more health conscious, keep your body strong by following a good nutritional diet, getting enough exercise and avoiding stressful situations as much as possible. Educate yourself about controlling conditions such as heart, lung, kidney, and immune system problems or diabetes and pregnancy which can put you at more risk when it comes to being able to fight viral and bacterial infections. Try to learn more about other communicable diseases such as STDs so that you can keep yourself and your family safe.
Try to take the load off of your immune system by keeping your body clean, the more of the bad viruses and bacteria that you can remove or wash off of your body, clothes, and surroundings the better your immune system can fight those that get inside your body and hide in places that perhaps you can not reach. By keeping yourself in a strong and healthy condition you can make it easier for your body to fight all the viruses that you might get exposed to.
Finally avoiding public and social gatherings and staying home as much as possible might be a good idea for the elderly and those with preexisting health problems who might be at more risk of being affected by Coronavirus.
It usually takes around 5 to 7 days for symptoms to show for most people from the time of exposure to Coronavirus although the incubation period could be between 1 to 14 days. If you have a dry cough along with shortness of breath which for some people might also be accompanied with a low fever at the beginning (which will develop in pretty much everyone later at some point) then be sure to take extra precautions as to not to come in contact with others. Call your doctor or clinic to inform them of your condition and to get further instructions before leaving home in order to minimize the spread of the virus. Coronavirus might be very contagious even if you are not having any symptoms, so if you believe that you have been in a high a risk environment that might have exposed you to this virus make sure to isolate yourself and seek medical advice from your doctor on what to do and where to go to get tested. It is not yet known for sure if this virus is going to be active seasonally or year around and to what extent it is going to be impacting different communities, it's possible that it might linger around both in the environment and in some of the people who have already been infected who might become carriers and as such all precautions and preparations must be taken on a more permanent basis by all people and Governments around the World in order to prevent future outbreaks in case the Coronavirus or a similar virus or their mutations become a permeant disease. Best to plan ahead and take some preemptive measures including timely testing and vaccinations in order to contain these types if viruses in the long term basis and not to leave anything to chance for the sake of future generations.
Until our technology advances to the level that can allow us to conquer such diseases all together we as a species might have to change a lot of our habits and norms in order to get the upper hand over the many bad microorganisms that want to take over our body and mind. It's worth noting that over the eons we have developed a symbiotic relationship with some of these microorganisms which help our body function and that we share some mutual interest with when it comes to the way that we all have evolved, but ultimately even our good symbionts have an influence over our way of life in a way that is more geared towards protecting and guaranteeing their own survival and as such have had a hand in determining how our societies, cultures, traditions, customs, religions, laws and many of our habits have been shaped through out the history. It might sound a little far out to say that our symbionts could influence the way that we think and act as human beings, but many of the things that currently affect our lives such as War, oppression, crime, and inequality and some of the bad characteristics that we have developed such as promiscuity, cruelty, and lack of empathy for others could be attributed to what is more in the interest of our symbionts than what is good for us. It's only through a logical and compassionate way of thinking that we can find the right path to salvation and advance to a higher level of existence that could bring us a better future by making us a force for good.
Please note that these and the other tips mentioned in this thread are not meant to be professional medical advice. Itโs best to keep yourself up to date through as many different sources and channels as possible because this is a fluid situation and new information, perspectives, and instructions might be released on a daily basis.)
IMO
