The 10 commandments to live with the coronavirus and avoid quarantined infections

07/19/2020 - 18:09

• Clarín.com
• Society

121 days after starting the quarantine in Argentina, this Monday a new stage will begin in the AMBA, the area with the highest number of coronavirus infections. There will be a greater flexibility of activities, with the aim of making staggered openings as long as the numbers of dead and infected do not skyrocket.

Until the vaccine is discovered or an effective treatment against Covid-19 appears , the measures and protocols with which Argentines are learning to live must be maintained .

Here is a guide to the "ten commandments" for living with the coronavirus.

Avoid crowds

The WHO admitted that some reports of outbreaks of Covid-19 in crowded closed environments suggest the possibility of aerosol transmission combined with the transmission of drops, for example, during choir, in restaurants or gyms, but affirm that more is needed. studies to understand those outbreaks. Therefore, it is recommended not to exceed 50% of the capacity of the spaces. 

Manual for living with a coronavirus infected

Respect respiratory hygiene measures

To avoid contact with these drops, it is important to stay at least 1 meter away from other people, clean your hands frequently, and cover your mouth with a disposable tissue when sneezing or coughing .

Always wear chinstrap or face mask

When it is not possible to physically distance yourself (standing a meter or more away), wearing a cloth mask is an important measure to protect other people. It is proven that it does not serve as protection for those who use it, but it does help to reduce the viral load in the environments, since many infected carry the disease asymptomatically and can spread without knowing it.

Not relax

To catch it, all you have to do is make contact for about 15 minutes in a small place, such as a shop, chatting with the vendor, eventually with the mask wrongly placed. Relaxing means that although people at this point are clear about what the care measures are, you can see how many people wear masks only covering the mouth and not the nose, or placed on the chin . Experts claim that these actions influence community transmission, as does the lack of distance.

The issue of oversight is central. It was in March and is still the main problem now. "We are having positive cases of coronavirus in hospital personnel, nurses and stretcher-bearers who were not in contact with patients with covid, so it is evident that although they maintain firm care within the hospital, when they leave they relax the measures," he warns. Cristina Freuler, Head of Infectology at Hospital Alemán.

Always clean hands

"This is a respiratory disease, so it is transmitted when we speak, we sneeze, we cough, that is, by the droplets that we eliminate and that remain in the air or surfaces, but mainly for the second: touching dirty surfaces with our hands, and then take them to the mouth, nose or eyes, "says Ricardo Teijeiro, member of the Argentine Society of Infectious Diseases and infectious medicine doctor at the Pirovano Hospital.

Spread

The most common way is that infections occur by close contact, that is, by transmission between cohabitants or between friends who get together and remove their chinstrap or directly do not respect the prudential distance.

The porteños went out this Sunday to enjoy recreational outings in Palermo. (Germán García Adrasti)

Deaths at home

Going through mourning for the loss of a loved one is even more difficult in quarantine, due to the restrictions on funerals and funerals. For this reason, the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF) recommended that if the person died of a coronavirus at home, the public or private system should be notified to verify the death. And to avoid entering the home of other family or friends .

"People who were in contact with the deceased before the death may be carriers of the virus and should take maximum precautions in any contact with other relatives and relatives," he warns. If the patient died in a hospital, there is also an indication that the body is removed, and that the objects of the deceased person are disinfected before being returned to their family.

Avoid stress

​In addition to the pandemic, anxiety and stress can lower the body's defenses. The WHO recommends "exercising regularly, maintaining regular sleep routines, and eating healthy food." For children, the agency recommended helping them find positive ways toexpress your feelings like fear or sadness.

What is Coronavirus? How is it spread and what are its symptoms?

Virtual contact

The idea with family and friends is to stay connected by email, social media, video conferencing, and the phone. Even when isolated. At a general level, the WHO recommended "be empathetic to all those affected, support those who need it most and amplify positive and hopeful stories." The same applies to labor issues. All those non-essential workers who can, must resort to remote work to continue with their daily activities.

Ventilate the rooms

Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces and objects (especially tables, counters, chairs, work desks and others used daily such as door handles and cell phones) with a solution of water and detergent. Disinfect with a solution of 10 ml (2 tablespoons) of commercial bleach in 1 liter of water.