Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are not visibly dirty.
Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub
eliminates the virus if it is on your hands.
Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and other people, particularly those who are coughing, sneezing and have a fever.
When someone who is infected with a respiratory disease, like COVID-19, coughs or sneezes they project small droplets containing the virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the virus.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
Hands touch many surfaces which can be contaminated with the virus. If you touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your contaminated hands, you can transfer the virus from the surface to yourself.
When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – discard tissue immediately into a closed bin and clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Covering your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing prevent the spread of germs and viruses. If you sneeze or cough into your hands, you may contaminate objects or people that you touch.
Avoid consumption of raw or undercooked animal products
Handle raw meat, milk or animal organs with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.
As a general precaution, practice general hygiene measures when visiting live animal markets, wet markets or animal product markets.
Ensure regular hand washing with soap and potable water after touching animals and animal products; avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with hands; and avoid contact with sick animals or spoiled animal products. Strictly avoid any contact with other animals in the market (e.g., stray cats and dogs, rodents, birds, bats). Avoid contact with potentially contaminated animal waste or fluids on the soil or structures of shops and market facilities.
Should I wear a mask to protect myself?
Wearing a medical mask can help limit the spread of some respiratory disease. However, using a mask alone is not guaranteed to stop infections and should be combined with other prevention measures including hand and respiratory hygiene and avoiding close contact – at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and other people.
Rational use of medical masks
WHO advises on rational use of medical masks thus avoiding unnecessary wastage of precious resources and potential misuse of masks. This means using masks only if you have respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing), have suspected COVID-19 infection with mild symptoms or are caring for someone with suspected COVID-19 infection. A suspected COVID-19 infection is linked to travel in an area in China where COVID-19 has been reported, or close contact with someone who has traveled from China and has respiratory symptoms.
How to put on, use, take of and dispose of a mask
Before putting on a mask, wash hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask
Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks
To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; wash hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water