Tips to keep COVID-19 at bay
“Do not be scared. Go to hospital if you are ill,” is the earnest plea of Consultant Physician Dr. Eranga Narangoda of the Homagama Hospital, to all those, whether in lockdown or non-lockdown areas.
He cautions all in the high-risk category for COVID-19, such as the elderly and those with chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease, to ensure that these are well controlled.
Get your blood sugar checked regularly and keep it under control, eat healthy food, exercise (even if you are in a lockdown area, within your home), avoid smoking and alcohol, he says, urging them not to go out of their homes unless it is absolutely necessary. If you do have to leave your home, wear a face-mask, wash your hand with soap and water constantly or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, keep a metre’s distance from other people and do not touch your nose, mouth or eyes.
“Work from home as much as possible, avoid gatherings and parties or funerals because the virus can be in society in certain areas,” he says.
Dr. Narangoda stresses that if they develop symptoms of the common cold, they should get an RT-PCR test done. If they get chest pain and breathing difficulty, they should see a doctor immediately or go to hospital. Do not be scared, the hospitals are functioning normally.
When asked what a person should do if he/she believes there has been exposure to the virus, he says:
The person should immediately self- isolate himself/ herself for 14 days. An RT-PCR test should be done after 48 hours of so-called exposure and if positive, the area’s Medical Officer of Health ( MOH)/ Public Health Inspector ( PHI) should be informed immediately. Then that person should pack his/ her bag with clothes and essentials including medicines to be taken when he/ she is transferred to a treatment centre. If
he/she has pets, arrangements would have to be made to feed and look after them.
If the person’s RT-PCR test is negative, it should be repeated if symptoms develop and even if there are no symptoms after 14 days, as severe disease could develop into the second week. If both tests are negative, he/ she can get back to normal work/life, but stringently adhering to the safety precautions of hand- hygiene, mask-wearing, distance-keeping and avoiding gatherings.
The Sunday Times learns that once exposed to the virus, a person would be infective two days before symptoms occur ( pre- symptomatic). Those who
are asymptomatic (without symptoms), mildly- symptomatic or symptomatic are infective 10 to 14 days.
Dr. Narangoda points out that a large number of people who have recovered should also take all the safety precautions to prevent being carriers. There could also be a risk of re-infection after several months.
Some tips to stay safe:
Try and avoid touching door-knobs/ handles, elevator buttons etc., but if there is no way of avoiding them, wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
At the office, wipe down the table-top where you work or the phone with an
alcohol-based sanitizer. Eating cooked fish or any cooked food is safe – while cleaning them, do not touch your face but wash your hands thereafter. If storing in the fridge, change the bags from the ones brought from the market and dispose of those. Shoes carry a “small risk” of spreading the virus, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Remove them on entering the house and if there are small children who are crawling on the floor, mop the floor with a detergent. Change clothes when coming home from outside and put them for washing. Then wash the hands thoroughly.