New coronavirus infections in Europe are worrying and many are wondering how best to protect themselves. Those who observe the following rules minimize the risk of infection.
- Infection with coronaviruses can be life-threatening for people with previous illnesses and the elderly.
- The German government wants to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections by closely reporting chains and additional reporting requirements for clinics and airlines.
- Everyone can do something to protect themselves from infection.
The coronavirus epidemic is not yet under control. In February 2020, eleven people died from a coronavirus infection in Italy in a very short time, and new cases are also reported in Germany . In particular, travelers from China and people who have stayed in risky areas such as Hubei Province are considered potential carriers of the virus. The novel corona viruses (also SARS-CoV-2) can spread from person to person through droplet infection.
The Federal Ministry of Health currently reports 81,005 coronavirus infections * worldwide, 19 cases have been confirmed in Germany. 2,762 deaths are reported, most of them in the outbreak country China . According to current knowledge, life-threatening consequences of a coronavirus infection can primarily have an impact on people with previous illnesses or the elderly.
Read also : Coronavirus and flu in comparison: How the two viral diseases differ .
Anyone can do this to prevent infection with the coronavirus
According to current knowledge, it can take up to 14 days before the first symptoms such as cough, fever, diarrhea and breathing problems * appear after being infected with the coronavirus. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) as the federal authority for infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases, the Federal Ministry of Health and other institutions recommend various behavioral measures to reduce your own risk of infection:
- Avoid traveling to high-risk areas (find out more on the website of the Federal Foreign Office and check the news regularly).
- Ensure good hand hygiene *.
- Only touch your face and that of others with washed hands (otherwise there is an increased risk of viruses entering the body through the mucous membranes).
- Cough or sneeze in the crook of the arm and not in the hands.
- Keep at least one meter away from sick people.
- Effective protection against coronavirus infection through a mouth mask * has not been proven . However, people with respiratory diseases are recommended to wear a mouthguard to prevent others from being infected by droplet infection. To do this, however, a mouthguard must be worn close-fitting and replaced when wet, as the RKI reports.
- Avoid large crowds as well as arrival and departure locations such as airports and train stations.
Survey on the subject
Sources : www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de; www.rki.de; www.infektionsschutz.de; www.auswaertiges-amt.de
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