The National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (Weqaya) has posted on its official social media accounts a series of preventive guidelines meant to combat the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). They include the steps to follow when during travels, at public places, mosques, workplaces, and at home.
Weqaya Center put forth certain recommendations to be followed by the individuals willing to travel (before, during and after travel). Those include: making sure that destination country has not been stricken by the COVID-19 outbreak, assessing the benefits as opposed to the risks associated with travels based on the latest updates, avoiding close contact with the individuals showing such symptoms as fever, cough, and shortness of breath, and washing hands with water and soap every now and again.
As regards gatherings and public places, Weqaya made clear that the COVID-19 infection can be transmitted to people who are within 1-2 meters from the affected person, or through direct contact. Nevertheless, Weqaya stressed, most people contracting COVID-19 usually experience mild symptoms before they are cured.
As part of its preventive guidelines, Weqaya highlighted that certain groups are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19, including: the elderly, diabetics and patients with heart or lung diseases, in addition to people who suffer immunodeficiency or are susceptible to diseases.
Weqaya Center shed light on some simple ways to curb the spread of the disease in gatherings and public places. Those include avoiding crowded places and taking the flu vaccine. Added to these, the Center recommended some other important measures, including: avoiding travelling, keeping away from gatherings and public places when infected, and keeping at home when experiencing the COVID-19 symptoms.
In its quest to prevent the spread of COVID-19 inside mosques, Weqaya recommended avoiding shaking hands after praying and applying a hand-sanitizer after touching the books and other publications available at mosques. As for preventing COVID-19 infection transmission at workplaces, the Center’s guidelines included: ensuring that the preventive health measures are observed, the workplace is clean, and certain measures are taken to prevent transmission of respiratory infections. So far as COVID-19 infection prevention at home is concerned, Weqaya Center put forth a list of guidelines, most importantly the following: avoiding direct contact with any person suffering a respiratory infection, avoiding touching the eyes, nose or hands before washing hands, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, washing hands thoroughly with water and soap (for no less than 20 seconds), and using sanitizers and disinfectants.
As part of its preventive guidelines, Waqaya Center explained the steps to be followed by family members upon identification of a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case that need not be admitted to hospital. According to Weqaya, the family members should help the infected person to follow the recommended health instructions, take the prescribed medications, monitor their condition, report the case to the competent health authorities to provide support, avoid direct or close contact with the patient, stay at a separate room, stop unnecessary visits, ensure goon ventilation of the entire house, and avoid using the patient’s personal tools.