The Etiquette of Coronavirus Prevention
etiquette of coronavirus prevention
The Etiquette of Coronavirus Prevention
The world health organization has declared the coronavirus a ‘global health emergency’. So, this is the time to revisit our healthcare etiquette out of respect to our friends, neighbors, and fellow humans around the world.
Stay Home if you Feel Sick - First things first, if you are feeling sick, stay home. The only place you should be traveling is to the doctor’s office, but then get home and stay there. The best way to prevent the spread of an upper respiratory virus is to avoid contact with people that have it. Your coworkers and fellow citizens will thank you for staying home and reducing the risk of infecting others.
Keep your Kids Home - Keep your kids’ home from daycare or school if they are showing any symptoms of being unwell. This is incredibly important as their immune systems aren’t fully developed and they don’t understand how or why not to touch their eyes, noses, and face, especially when feeling ill. Childcare facilities have staff and space limitations and is not fair to expect them to care for your sick child. Also, infections spread like wildfire in these places, so with something more serious on the rise, it is more important to take precautions and keep your children home, so they aren’t the culprit of the next outbreak.
Be self-aware in public places - Wherever your day may take you, make sure you are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of germs. Just because you are walking on an open city street and you don’t see others doesn’t mean it is ok to cough without covering your mouth or to spit all over the sidewalk.
Exercise Cough and Phlegm Etiquette - This includes covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have one, avoid covering your mouth with your hands, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve. Upper Respiratory infections are spread by droplets in the air, so even if you are alone at home…Cover. Your. Mouth.
Wash your Hands - Throughout the day we can’t avoid touching every doorknob or turnstile at the subway station so make sure to wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer regularly when on the go, and avoid touching your face. It’s also a good idea to wipe down surfaces frequently touched in the home and office.
Etiquette exists to make people feel comfortable and to show others that you respect them. Please consider how your actions will affect others as we all navigate this unprecedented virus and try to stay healthy.
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