How to decrease chances of catching coronavirus

Coronavirus continues to plague much of the world and especially Israel. Can you avoid getting infected?

According to a report by the IDF Intelligence Corps, while there is no foolproof method for avoiding infection, there are things to do and not do that could decrease your likelihood of catching corona.

The Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center, which is overseen by the IDF Intelligence Corps in cooperation with the Health Ministry, released a report Sunday that reviews international recommendations for the kinds of activities that are high – to low-risk. The punchline is to “avoid the ‘three Cs,’” as a poster in Japan offers: closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby and close-contact settings such as close-range conversations.

The Jerusalem Post has put together a priority list of “safe” and “less safe” activities based on lists published by international health networks and publications that were used by the IDF to compile Sunday’s report.

The chart is based on the following infographics that were included in the IDF report: Whatcom County Health Department in Washington, Yahoo Finance and Nebraska Medicine, as well as data compiled from 500 epidemiologists that was published by The New York Times.

The report notes that although the infographics are not backed up by specific academic research, they help present a clearer picture for the public.

“Mass events in the presence of coronavirus patients may result in a significant jump in the percentage of infection,” the report explains. “Occasionally, a sole patient at a large event can mass-infect tens to even hundreds of people.”

The report claims that these events are accelerating the outbreak of the pandemic in Israel and therefore “the main danger is their mere existence” – in particular, when they are held in closed and crowded spaces.

It recommends re-examining the easing of restrictions on cultural events, including capping the maximum number of participants and considering the locations where they are held. If such events are going to occur, then the report recommends increasing enforcement of Health Ministry regulations and ensuring that attendees maintain good hygiene.