Coronaviruses Infections! What You Need To Know?! 

coronaviruses

What Are Coronaviruses Infections?

Want to Avoid The Wuhan Coronavirus? Wash Your hands:

As the Wuhan virus outbreak develops, doctors have reminded the public to practice hand hygiene among other steps. Washing our hands properly with soap and running water is a simple, and very important way to avoid becoming sick.

1. Handwashing:

Clean Hands Save Lives:

Handwashing can help prevent illness. It involves five simple and effective steps (Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry) you can take to reduce the spread of diarrheal and respiratory illness so you can stay healthy.

Regular handwashing, particularly before and after certain activities, is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. It’s quick, it’s simple, and it can keep us all from getting sick. Handwashing is a win for everyone, except for the germs.

When and How to Wash Your Hands:

Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Learn when and how you should wash your hands to stay healthy. You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

Before:

• During, and after preparing food.
• Eating food.
• And after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea.
• And after treating a cut or wound.

After:

• Using the toilet.
• Changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet.
• Blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste.
• Handling pet food or pet treats.
• Touching garbage.

Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way:

Follow these five steps every time.

• Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
• Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Use Hand Sanitizer When You Can’t Use Soap and Water:

Washing hands with soap and water are the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.

Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations.

However, 

• Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.
• Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
• Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.

How to Use Hand Sanitizer?

• Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).
• Rub your hands together.
• Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry.
• This should take around 20 seconds.

2. Wearing Mask:

Why wear a mask?

Coronaviruses infections can be transmitted by respiratory droplets over a short distance or through direct contact with a patient’s secretions. Wearing a mask offers protection against coronaviruses infection. If you have a respiratory tract infection, it also helps prevent the spread of the illness. Surgical masks, if properly worn, are effective in preventing the spread of droplet infections.

Wearing a mask is,

just one way to help prevent respiratory tract infections. Most important is to observe good personal hygiene. Wash hands frequently with liquid soap. Always wash hands after sneezing, coughing, cleaning the nose; going to the toilet; and before touching the eyes, nose, and mouth, or preparing food. You can also build up body immunity by developing a healthy lifestyle – eat well, get plenty of rest, exercise, don’t smoke.

Who should wear a mask?

People,

• With respiratory infection symptoms.
  
• Who cares for patients with respiratory infection symptoms.
  
• Visiting clinics or hospitals.
  
• Who has been in close contact with confirmed or suspected coronaviruses infection patients should wear a mask for at least 10 days from the last contact.
• In crowded or poorly ventilated places.

Also, 

• Health care workers in clinical settings.
  
• Workers handling food.
  
• Public transport operational staff.
  
• Pupils and staff at schools. (Except during physical education lessons or in a well-ventilated and spacious venue with no “short distance face-to-face activity” involved.)

As this list cannot be exhaustive, members of the public are reminded to exercise judgment in accordance with the guidance given above. In general, anyone who feels the need to wear a mask is advised to do so.
Always keep a mask handy so that you can put one on as the need arises.

Points to note about wearing a mask:

• Wash hands before putting on a mask, before and after taking one-off.
  
• Follow the instructions given by the supplier.
  

When wearing a surgical mask, ensure that:

Disposable facemasks should be used once and then thrown in the trash. You should also remove and replace masks when they become moist.

Always follow product instructions on the use and storage of the mask, and procedures for how to put on and remove a mask.  If instructions for putting on and removing the mask are not available, then follow the steps below.

• The mask fits snugly over the face.

The,  

• Colored side of the mask faces outwards, with the metallic strip uppermost.
  
• Strings or elastic bands are positioned properly to keep the mask firmly in place.
  
• Mask covers the nose, mouth, and chin.
  
• Metallic strip molds to the bridge of the nose.
  
• Try not to touch the mask once it is secured on your face as frequent handling may reduce its protection. If you must do so, wash your hands before and after touching the mask.
  
• When taking off the mask, avoid touching the outside of the mask as this part may be covered with germs.
  
• After taking off the mask, fold the mask outwards (i.e. the outside of the mask facing inwards), then put the mask into a plastic or paper bag before putting it into a rubbish bin with a lid.
  
• A surgical mask should be discarded after use and under no circumstances should it be used for longer than a day. Replace the mask immediately if it is damaged or soiled.
  

Note: 

There Is Only ONE WAY To Wear A Surgical Mask:

Surgical masks are colored on ONE SIDE to make it easy for medical staff to figure out which side FACES OUT. Whether they are colored blue, green or pink, the COLORED SIDE is meant to face OUTWARDS.

How to remove a Surgical Mask? 

• Clean your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer before touching the mask.
• Avoid touching the front of the mask.
• The front of the mask is contaminated.
• Only touch the ear loops/ties/band.
• Follow the instructions below for the type of mask you are using.

Facemask with:

• Earloops: Hold both of the ear loops and gently lift and remove the mask.
• Ties: Untie the bottom bow first then untie the top bow and pull the mask away from you as the ties are loosened.
• Bands: Lift the bottom strap over your head first then pull the top strap over your head.
• Throw the mask in the trash: Clean your hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer.

Respirator and Surgical Mask Fit:

 Facemasks Vs Respirators, Which Should Be Used?

These are just some of the recent deadly strains of the flu that spread quickly across the globe, causing widespread panic. Afraid of catching one of these so-called superbugs, many people have started buying facemasks and respirators. However, do people really know if they are buying the right kind of protection?

And, can a mask really keep you from catching the virus?

To answer that, it helps to clarify which kinds of masks we are talking about. You should know that,

“Coronavirus IS NOT Influenza”

First, let’s get this straight. The Wuhan coronavirus is different from the influenza virus that causes yearly outbreaks all over the world. They may have similar symptoms, but they are two different virus families.

• The influenza A viruses that cause seasonal flu pandemics vary from 80 to 120 nanometers in diameter, with the smaller viruses adopting an elliptical shape.
• The coronavirus, of which the Wuhan coronavirus is just one of seven known to infect humans, has a helical capsid that measures about 120 nanometers in diameter.

Unfortunately,

The Wuhan coronavirus is new and has no vaccine. So people are opting to use face masks or surgical-medical masks. But how effective are these masks? Here’s a short guide to facemasks and respirators, how they are different, and how you should dispose of them.

1. Facemasks ‘Surgical Mask’:

• Facemasks are loose-fitting, disposable face pieces that protect the mouth and nose of the wearer from splashes and sprays.
• They are also designed to keep droplets – for example, when sneezing or coughing – from spreading from the said wearer.
• However, facemasks cannot keep out very small airborne particles that can contain viruses because of its very loose fit.
• They are also labeled as surgical, dental, isolation, laser and medical procedure masks.

2. Respirators:

• Meanwhile, respirators are designed to protect the wearer from inhaling very small particles.
• Compared to a loose-fitting facemask, the tighter fit of a respirator only allows the wearer to inhale air primarily through its filter material, which traps the said particles.
• Because of its ability to filter out small particles, respirators are primarily used in construction and industries that involve dust hazards.
• Respirators may also be used by medical personnel that has close contact with people who respiratory ailments that can be transmitted by airborne particles.
• These respirators should be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Because fit is so important,

NIOSH recommends and OSHA requires that each respirator wearer receive an initial fit test and annual fit tests thereafter. It is not possible to predict how well a respirator will fit on a particular face, even for respirators that fit well on a broad range of facial sizes.

The FDA does not recommend or require any test of fit for surgical masks. A very limited number of published studies are available on this aspect of surgical mask performance. Three clinical studies conducted in the 1980s and 90s found no difference in surgical infection rates when staff did not wear surgical masks To check if a respirator is NIOSH-approved, it must have the following information printed on the mask:

• Manufacturer’s name or registered trademark.
• Part Number (P/N), model number, or compliant name.
• Kind of filter protection – NIOSH filter series and efficiency level (ex. N95 or R95).
• NIOSH testing and certification approval number.
• NIOSH logo, or the acronym NIOSH in block letters.

When choosing a respirator,

An important consideration is the kind of filter protection. The NIOSH filter series letter designates whether a filter is oil resistant – N for not-oil resistant, R for somewhat oil resistant, and P for strong oil resistance.

The number, meanwhile, designates the percentage of particles that can be filtered – 95 for 95%, 99 for 99%, and 100 for 99.97%. Using this system, the NIOSH has 9 categories for respirators – N95, N99, N100, R95, R99, R100, P95, P99, and P100.

However, 

There are still no approved respirators for the R99 and R100 categories. Apart from considering the type of filter, respirators must also fit tightly and securely on the wearer’s face to efficiently filter out the small particles. This is why many employers have their employees “fit-test” their respirators first, by checking the fit on the face and adjusting the straps. They are also called particulate respirators or air-purifying respirators.

Let’s Recap:

A facemask can protect you from contracting a cold, flu or other viruses – just make sure you get the right kind.

Disposable Respirators VS Surgical Masks, understand the differences:

	Disposable Respirators		Surgical Masks
	Reduces the wearer’s exposure to certain airborne particles, including those <100 that can be inhaled through the nose or mouth.		It helps prevent particles expelled by the wearer (such as saliva, mucus, etc.) from contaminating the work environment. It also reduces the chance of blood and other bodily fluids entering the wearer’s mouth and nose.
	Fits tightly to the face and creates a seal between the face and respirator to help ensure all air is drawn through the filter.		Fits loosely over the face and does not typically include a filter.
	Intended to protect the wearer from substances in the work environment.		Intended to protect the work environment (including patients) from substances expelled by the wearer.
	Must be put on and taken off in a clean area and worn at all times the wearer is in the contaminated area.		Typically worn for the duration of a specific procedure and then discarded for infection control purposes.
	Certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Required to perform under certain stringent test conditions before approval is granted.		Cleared for sale by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Tests may be conducted but manufacturer-submitted data is usually submitted for approval.

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