EDITORIAL: Practise protective measures
The world is on heightened alert as the dreaded COVID-19 continues to spread and the death toll rises. With all the information being transmitted about the coronavirus – some factual, some unsubstantiated, and some contradictory – many Barbadian residents remain confused as to what exactly they need to know and do in order to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Foremost on people’s minds is ascertaining what risk is there to contracting the virus. Up to yesterday, a report from Johns Hopkins University stated that over 116, 000 people were infected with the virus worldwide, and another from CNN News stated that the number of deaths passed 4 000. However, these figures are subjective as “testing has been rolled out unevenly and the criteria for diagnosis has varied from country to country”. In addition, it is noteworthy that the vast majority of infected people suffer mild symptoms and even more recover fully.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has however sought to reassure people who are anxious about the state of affairs, saying in a release that “If you are not in an area where the COVID-19 is spreading or have not travelled from an area where COVID-19 is spreading or have not been in contact with an infected patient, your risk of infection is low”. If however you fit these criteria, then you need to take the risk of infection seriously – especially people with pre-existing medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease or diabetes – and take preventative measures to mitigate the chance of transmission.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the WHO have advised the use of some basic measures to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. These include washing your hands often for at least 20 seconds; covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash; cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects; staying at home when you are sick; not travelling if you have a fever or a cough; not touching your face; not wearing a face mask if you are well (these should only be used by people who show symptoms).
Though most of these suggestions may seem obvious and should in fact be part of an individual’s regular routine, unfortunately far too many do not practise proper hygiene and have bad habits that may see them be more at risk. For instance, some people may wash their hands after using the bathroom, but then go straight to the door of the restroom and touch the door’s surface.
They may even wash their hands before meals… at a table, but eating on the go/in the car often results in this practise falling by the wayside. And though many want to stop touching their faces, this habit is often unconscious and occurs sometimes before a person realises what he/she is doing.
The fact remains that everyone needs to work on developing better health habits, until they become ingrained in us and present themselves as our other natural behaviours. Though it may be more challenging for adults, they must make the effort and teach the younger generation.
While we pray for a cure and cessation of the spread of COVID-19, we must work to ensure that we are prepared to do whatever it takes to reduce its impact on our population.