How to do social distancing during this virus pandemic
Even if you’re not considered among high-risk population during Covid-19, it’s still very important to practice social distancing.
What you need to know:
High-risk people include the elderly and those with compromised immune systems or other underlying health problems. By distancing themselves from the public, these high-risk individuals are able to protect themselves from being exposed to the virus, which can be deadly for them.
An unfortunate truth about Covid-19 is that it can be spread by people who show no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, the timeline also varies. Some people show symptoms as soon as the third day and some take as long as 14 days or so.
Simply isolating people once they become ill does very little to protect the population at large, I may say. In turn, we always advocate for pre-emptive, low-cost hygiene enhancement and social distancing, under the assumption that Covid-19 is already present.
The spread of Covid-19 around the world has been very rapid: The purpose of pre-emptive interventions is to slow it down and limit its impact on health services.
And that’s where social distancing comes.
Last week I shared my school of thought on how to respond to this pandemic.
We have seen government has taken some crucial control measures, from closing learning institutions to heightening public awareness through its relevant authorities.
On shutdown of all learning institutions particularly, it was a great move from medical point of view since it will enable us to limit how this virus spreads.
But all this community protection can never be possible without this social distancing.
Social distancing is very important for slowing or stopping the spread of infections, especially for those who are at higher risk of catching coronavirus.
High-risk people include the elderly and those with compromised immune systems or other underlying health problems. By distancing themselves from the public, these high-risk individuals are able to protect themselves from being exposed to the virus, which can be deadly for them.
Even if you’re not considered high-risk, it’s still very important to practice social distancing. By distancing yourself from others, especially those in high-risk categories, you’re doing your part by minimising the likelihood of spreading the virus to others.
Social distancing practices are changes in behaviour that can help stop the spread of infections.
These often include curtailing social contact, work and schooling among seemingly healthy individuals, with a view to delaying transmission and reducing the size of an outbreak.
As an individual, you can lower your risk of infection by reducing your rate of contact with other people. Avoiding public spaces and unnecessary social gatherings, especially events with large numbers of people or crowds, will lower the chance that you will be exposed to the new coronavirus as well as to other infectious diseases like flu.
Social distancing should be approached sensibly and rationally. If you do have to be out and about, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends maintaining a distance of at least 1 meter between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
It is also recommended that you avoid physical contact with others in social situations, including handshakes, hugs and kisses.
How can you maintain social distance from people you live with or care for?
It sounds tricky, but control what you can. It is recommended to separate yourself from people you live with as much as possible.
If you can’t avoid sharing a bathroom or toilet, clean these areas regularly. If you have Covid-19 or suspect that you are at risk, the priority should be to avoid transmitting the disease to others, particularly if you are caring for someone vulnerable.
The author is the medical Doctor based in Dar es salaam
