AfricaPress-Tanzania: AS coronavirus takes its human toll in the world, several businesses are grinding to a halt and many people would automatically suffer, either directly or indirectly.
However, it is the work of every citizen to protect himself by simply following government(s)’ and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines as well as other medical professionals.
In this scene, WHO and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), being reputable global bodies on advising the public on what to do about such epidemics, usually conduct research and share findings.
For instance, public use of face masks has been common in China and other nations in Asia since the beginning of the coronavirus disease outbreak and spread globally to the extent that CDC started advising people to wear masks.
And as we now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those, who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms, according to the advisory published by the CDC on March 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine, this means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity- for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing- even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.
Hence, before putting on a mask, especially in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies), you are advised to clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
You should also cover your mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
People should also be advised that to avoid touching the mask while using it; and if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks.
To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Going by these pieces of advice, experts still say that the homemade masks won’t protect someone from getting sick, but they can help prevent the spread of the disease by those with the virus, which in a way suggests that the first thing is for one to keep a distance.
However, masks are still a likely reason why the virus has been better controlled in China, South Korea, Japan, and other countries, where it struck with a lot of vigour
