Health experts share their simple yet effective advice to avoid catching coronavirus
There are a few simple tips people can follow to effectively avoid spreading the coronavirus and catching it.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) people should avoid touching dirty banknotes or putting it anywhere near their face as cash can carry “all sorts of bacteria and viruses”.
The UN health agency says.COVID-19 is believed to be able to survive on surfaces for a number of days, so health experts urge people to wash their hands every opportunity they get.
“We would advise people to wash their hands after handling banknotes, and avoid touching their face,” a spokesperson told the UK Telegraphon Tuesday.
“When possible it’s a good idea to use contactless payments.”
China begun disinfecting bank notes in February, just weeks after some of the first cases were detected. South Korea has swiftly followed suit.
Experts have warned people it may be best to switch to contactless payments if possible.
As well as switching to contactless payments, health experts are also urging people to disinfect their mobile phones twice a day to avoid catching the virus.
“It is a portable petri dish,” Peter Hall, a professor of public health at Canada’s University of Waterloo, wrote in The Conversation this week.
“Antibacterial wipes are necessary here, as they generally kill viruses as well,” he advised.
“Clean your device at least twice daily, once at lunch and once at dinner time (or linked to another daily routine).
“A recently published study estimates that viruses like COVID-19 may be able to persist for up to nine days on smooth glass and plastic surfaces, like a mobile phone screen.”
One of the most reliable and best things you can do to protect yourself from the virus is simply to wash your hands, according to the Australian Academy of Science.
“Hand hygiene is one of the most important things you can do,” Raina MacIntyre, the head of the biosecurity program at the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney, said.
“Just soap and water is enough. You don’t need to use hand gel unless you haven’t got running water.”