Holiday, Festivities, and Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

It is important to know that the new coronavirus, COVID-19, is not airborne. COVID-19 is transmitted through small droplets from the nose or mouth that are spread when a person with the virus coughs, sneezes, or exhales. It is possible to inhale these droplets if you are in close proximity with someone who is sick, or if you touch surfaces where these droplets have landed and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Protect yourself and others from COVID-19

Stay safe by taking some simple precautions, such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning your hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue. Also, check local advice where you live and work. Do it all!

What to do to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19

  • Maintain at least a 1-meter distance between yourself and others to reduce your risk of infection when they cough, sneeze, or speak. Maintain an even greater distance between yourself and others when indoors. The further away, the better.
  • Make wearing a mask a normal part of being around other people. The appropriate use, storage, and cleaning or disposal are essential to make masks as effective as possible.

Here are the basics of how to wear a mask:

  • Clean your hands before you put your mask on, as well as before and after you take it off, and after you touch it at any time.
  • Make sure it covers both your nose, mouth, and chin.
  • When you take off a mask, store it in a clean plastic bag, and every day either wash it if it is a fabric mask or dispose of a medical mask in a trash bin.
  • Do not use masks with valves.

How to make your environment safer

  • Avoid the 3C’s: spaces that are Closed, Crowded, or involve Close contact. The risks of getting COVID-19 are higher in crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected people spend long periods of time together in close proximity. These environments are where the virus appears to spread by respiratory droplets or aerosols more efficiently, so taking precautions is even more important.
  • Meet people outside. Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor ones, particularly if indoor spaces are small and without outdoor air coming in.
  • Avoid crowded or indoor settings but if you cannot, then take precautions:
  • Open a window. Increase the amount of ‘natural ventilation’ when indoors.
  • Wear a mask.

Do not forget the basics of good hygiene:

  • Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. This eliminates germs including viruses that may be on your hands.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose, or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and infect you.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately into a closed bin and wash your hands. By following good ‘respiratory hygiene’, you protect the people around you from viruses, which cause colds, flu, and COVID-19.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently especially those which are regularly touched, such as door handles, keys, and phone screens.

What to do if you feel unwell

Know the full range of symptoms of COVID-19. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms that are less common and may affect some patients include loss of taste or smell, aches, and pains, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, red eyes, diarrhoea, or a skin rash.

Stay home and self-isolate even if you have minor symptoms such as cough, headache, mild fever until you recover. Call your health care provider or hotline for advice. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house or have someone near you, wear a medical mask to avoid infecting others.

If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately. Call by telephone first, if you can and follow the directions of your local clinic or doctor.

Attending big gatherings, festivities and travel can increase your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

If you do decide to travel, be sure to take these steps to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Source:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice