Avoiding Coronavirus COVID-19

Avoiding Coronavirus COVID-19

  • The main mode of transmission is respiratory droplets that can be produced by speaking and coughing.
  • Sneezing, another way droplets are spread, is not a common symptom of COVID-19
  • You can do it through shaking hands or kissing somebody who is sick, or you can do it through indirect contact transmission, which is through a contaminated surface, something like a doorknob or a handrail…[or] you pick up somebody else’s phone.

  • It’s very much driven by the context of a gathering
  • Researchers aren’t sure how long droplets of COVID-19 coronavirus remain infectious on phones, but similar coronaviruses can survive on surfaces for a few hours up to a few days, depending on the environment
  • Once one member of a family is infected, other family members who may have had close contact, should be put in quarantine for 14 days.
  • Keep your distance, and don’t kiss.
  • Keep air circulating – Dispersing droplets can keep you from getting a hefty, infectious dose. Open a window, turn on a fan.
  • Use a humidifier – Keeping the humidity up will keep the protective membranes in your nose from drying out, which makes them less effective as they try to keep pathogens out. Mid-range humidity also appears to cause some viruses to decay faster.
  • Clean surfaces – Household disinfectants, like bleach and alcohol-based cleaners, can kill the virus on tables, phones and other surfaces you regularly touch.
  • Don’t share – Don’t share a cup. Don’t share eating utensils. Don’t share a toothbrush. In fact, don’t share anything that comes in direct contact with your mouth or nose.
  • Wash your hands well: Use soap and water and make sure you wash all the nooks and crannies.