8 Things to Keep in Mind during an Outbreak

In light of the on-going novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) global outbreak, we should be reminded that it is our responsibility to keep our children and family members safe from any harm such as infection and illnesses. Advise your family to follow these general guidelines during any outbreak:

1. Frequent hand-washing. Wash your hands with soap and clean water (or hand sanitisers) frequently and properly, especially before and after preparing or eating food, after going to the toilet and after handling animals or waste.
2. Practise cough/sneeze etiquette. Maintain your distance from others, cover your mouth and nose with tissues or clothes, not hands, and clean your hands afterwards.
3. Avoid close contact with sick people. Maintain a distance (at least 1-2m) from a sick person to avoid transmission via droplets.
4. Avoid touching the face. You may touch contaminated objects/surfaces and inadvertently transfer the germs from your hands to your mouth/nose.
5. Use a mask in public places. Make sure you wear it properly: use the suitable type, cover both mouth and nose with the correct side, avoid contamination when handling it, etc.
6. Avoid consumption of raw/undercooked animal products. Practice hygiene when going to live animal markets or wet markets.
7. If you have symptoms, seek early medical care and stay at home. Be responsible to yourself and others by not spreading the infection.
8. Refer to reliable sources and do not spread rumours. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) provide credible and constant updates of the situation on their websites and pages.