1. Social Distancing Social distancing is a pretty simple idea - we come into close contact with a lot of people, all the time. Hugs, ki...
1. Social Distancing
Social distancing is a pretty simple idea - we come into close contact with a lot of people, all the time. Hugs, kisses, the occasional warm breath of a stranger on your neck during your morning commute. When practising social distancing, rather than getting in close, try to stay at a distance. Instead of kissing an acquaintance, use a much cooler fist bump. Replace hugs with air-fives (remember to make the sound effect). Don't breathe on people on the train if you can avoid it*. All small things, but they can have a disproportionate impact on how the virus spreads. This in turn could vastly alter the nature of the epidemic from a disaster to something much more easily handled.
2. Practice at home
Early information out of China indicates that one of the ways that coronavirus spreads is through the household. Now, it's obviously impossible to be entirely distant from your family, despite the hopeful dreams of many millenials, but there are things you can do to help prevent the virus from spreading among your friends, family, and weird roommates.
If you do get sick, isolate yourself from the family. Take precautions when caring for sick loved ones. Wipe down shared surfaces more often. Try not to let your kids stick their hands directly into your mouth quite so often.
3. Wash your hands, don't touch your face, sneeze and cough responsibly
Washing your hands, not touching your face, and avoiding coughing on everyone else are some of the main ways that you can help to lower your risk of infection, and protect everyone else as well.
4. Stay safe
I know, I know, I already said this. But it is worth saying again. Washing your hands, not touching your face, and avoiding coughing on everyone else are some of the main ways that you can help to lower your risk of infection, and protect everyone else as well.
Overall, don't panic, but don't disregard the news entirely either. These are some reasonable, straightforward steps that we can all take to help reduce the burden on health services in the weeks ahead.
It's also important to remember not to blame people when they do spread the disease. There is no magic bullet against viruses like this, and even the best precautions will only reduce the risk. Apportioning blame may feel good, but ultimately it will only make infection control harder as people try to hide their symptoms from the ravening masses.
