MAINTAINING personal hygiene and refraining from hugging and kissing was emphasised by a top health expert last night.
BDF Hospital infectious diseases consultant and microbiologist and Coronavirus Control and Monitoring Committee Head Lieutenant Colonel Dr Manaf Al Qahtani highlighted that the correct method of washing hands should be taught to children in schools while reaffirming the teaching at home.
He said that one of the basic steps in limiting the spread of any epidemic is proper hand washing which should also be taught to domestic workers.
“The culture of correctly washing your hands should be taught in schools and the students should exposed to this information repetitively and parents should reaffirm this information,” he said.
“People who are ill with any respiratory illnesses shouldn’t mix with people and it’s nothing to be ashamed of to refrain from hugging, kissing or shaking hands.”
He also emphasised the importance of ignoring rumors which undermine tireless work in place by personal and national efforts and getting information from reliable official sources.
“This virus has spread due to wrong personal habits and the first is listening to rumours and hearsay spread among people,” he added.
“Rumours undermine the trust in the efforts exerted by official - even if we work 24 hours a day - as long as there are people spreading rumours it will continue to exhaust us.”
His advice was reaffirmed by Covid-19 Taskforce Head Dr Jameela Al Salman who stated that people in home quarantine should remain in an isolated room with its separate bathroom while refraining from mixing with other family members for 14 days.
She also stressed the importance of maintaining personal hygiene and intensifying personal efforts to monitor symptoms while in home quarantine, continuously washing hands, as well as using personal cutleries and dishes.
“Whenever we instruct any person - whether a citizen or resident - to remain in home quarantine they need to stay in an isolated room with its separate bathroom and refrain from mixing with other house members and shouldn’t share personal items - even those used for eating,” she stressed.
“When sneezing or coughing napkins should be disposed off in a closed bin and hands should be continuously washed as this is the most crucial step.”
“This disease is spread through droplets which mainly occurs by touching infected surfaces so keeping hands clean is critical.”
“Home quarantine isn’t a vacation so people shouldn’t travel or use public transport and should continuously monitor their symptoms and immediately call 444 if symptoms arise.”
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