As we watch the daily news updates, it is depressing when the number of Coronavirus cases are increasing dramatically... and what makes it more emotional is when it hit during the Chinese New Year holiday where Chinese around the world will be traveling to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
The healthcare authority has issued travel bans, flights are suspended and health screenings/inspections are conducted at the airports/checkpoints for entries to Singapore.
Pharmacies islandwide run out of face masks, thermometers and hand sanitizers, etc. Everyone is hunting for masks and grabbing disinfectant products they can find on the shelves. High demand products, especially the surgical masks are crazily overpriced in the black markets. (This is so wrong and should NOT be encouraged! )
While it's human nature to worry and panic about the deadly virus, but we should also try to remain calm. There are some precautionary measures that we can do to fight the coronavirus to protect ourselves and our love ones.
Here are the list of things that I do to protect my family :
* DISCLAIMER NOTICE *
(All information provided in this blog is my personal precautions and for general reference only. No medical advice intended.)
1. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. Always remember to wash your hands before and after meals.
Here's a video that demonstrates the steps to wash our hands and how to wear the mask the correct way.
2. Boost up Vitamin C. Drink lots of water, soup and juices. Add fruits in your diets. (Fruits are good source of Vitamin C that helps to prevent cold and infections, etc.)
3. Wear a mask if you have a cough, runny nose or a fever. See a doctor if you are unwell and rest at home.
4. Always carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes. They are very useful and handy. (Alcohol-based hand rub/sanitizers are recommended by healthcare organisations.)
5. Avoid crowded places. Germs and viruses are airborne and easily spread from human to human. Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
6. I use air-purifiers and humidifiers at home, they help to improve air quality, perhaps it may not eliminate the viruses but it helps me sleep better anyway.
7. Make sure meat, seafood and eggs are well-cooked. We know that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) was first spread from animal to human and then transmitted from human to human. It's best to avoid taking any kind of raw food for now.
8. Parents with small children, please make sure their nails are trimmed often and teach the children how to wash their hands properly. Do NOT share utensils, water bottles or towels, etc.
9. Check your temperature regularly if you start to feel unwell. Seek medical assistance and treatment as soon as possible.
10. Take a bath/shower immediately when you return from school, work, grocery shopping, etc...or at least wash your hands, legs and face thoroughly with soap. This is a standard routine for me since the (SARS) Outbreak in 2003. In my opinion, there's no such thing as being 'too clean', we should always practice good hygiene every day.
There is currently no vaccines or antiviral medication for the COVID-19 virus, symptoms can only be treated. What we can do is boost our immune system, promote good hygiene routines and avoid getting sick/infected.
Please wear a mask if you are unwell. The local health authority has handed out masks to every household in Singapore. I'm not a big fan of face mask and I know it's uncomfortable and hard to breathe freely with a mask on, but if you are unwell, it is important to protect yourself and everyone around you, especially during health crisis like this. I wear a mask when I pick up my kids from school, it's not a big deal for me to use a mask for personal hygiene and safety precautions.
However, I don't encourage people to stock up tons of face masks, sanitizers and disinfectant products, it is fine to keep some for emergency use/purposes but Do NOT buy much more than you need!
I don't stock up face masks. In fact, I prefer filtered cloth flu mask because it's more comfortable, reusable and Eco-friendly. (But that's just my preference)
The healthcare authority recommended using 3ply surgical masks for protection against the Coronavirus but with the high demands and low stock in the market now, the cloth masks may be an alternative and substitute for the time being. Well, though it may not serve the maximum protection, but I think it's still better than none.
There could possibly be some misinformation circulating in the internet. We can ignore those 'unclear' information but please don't be ignorant. We should do our part to stay vigilant, read up the latest updates from reliable source and equipped yourself with more knowledge. It's always better to stay alert, be prepared and always practice good hygiene anywhere you are.
While it may seem like Singaporeans are the 'Kiasu' population, (Yea..maybe that's true) but when it comes to global health threats, I take precautions seriously and I believe it's better to be safe than sorry!
The COVID-19 virus may last for months and during this stressful time, my heart and prayers goes out to those who are infected by the virus and families who are separated or quarantined during this global health crisis.
I hope the situation will be under control soon. The outbreak has caused so many inconvenience, tensions and anxiety globally. I hope our lives would be back to normal again, very soon...
Till then...Take good care and stay safe, Homies! 💪😷
