Before commencing on this topic, I think it only appropiate to mention straight away that the ideas and content materials discussed was obtained from an online article written on 9th June 2021 by the BBC Health reporter RACHEL SCHRAER.
How Can We Maintain Safety Standards & Reduce Covid-19 Infection As Lockdown Restrictions Are Relaxed & People Spend Much Less Time Indoors ?
Covid-19 infection is still a significant threat even more so as the Delta variant spreads. This explains why governments are hesitant to completely relax lockdown rules and/or extend restrictions. So, how can we learn to be more prudent and responsible ?
(1) Meeting Outside: Precautions.
At the start of the pandemic, even going for a walk with a friend wasn’t allowed – but scientists are confident being outdoors is much safer than being indoors.
(2) You’re extremely unlikely to catch Covid from touching things.
At the start of the pandemic, a lot of focus was on surfaces. People washed groceries and
avoided touching buttons at pedestrian crossings. Councils shut playgrounds and
cordoned off park benches.
However, it’s been all but impossible to find an outbreak linked to an infected surface.
“It’s to do with how the virus actually enters your system – it’s through the airways,” says Dr Eilir Hughes, a GP and campaigner for more protective PPE for NHS staff. The virus takes hold in the body via the respiratory system – that’s why testing for it involves a swab up the nose and down the back of the throat.
It would take an extremely unlikely chain of events for infected droplets on an object to
end up in someone’s nose or throat.
Hygiene is important, but washing hands and surfaces excessively, and avoiding touching objects – so-called “hygiene theatre” – has little impact on the spread of Covid.
(3) Sometimes social distancing may not be enough.
A 2m distance from other people may not always be enough to avoid infection. The virus spreads in particles that come out of our nose and mouth when we breath,cough, sneeze and speak.
Larger particles fall to the ground with gravity, like raindrops, and probably only hit people within 2m.
But some particles are so small they can float in the air – similar to deodorant or hairspray.
Contrary to what was believed at the beginning of the pandemic, smaller particles can cause outbreaks. That may well be how people have caught Covid from the opposite sides of buses,
restaurants and even quarantine hotels.
Experts are now putting more emphasis on ventilation.
Good airflow dilutes and blows away droplets and disperses aerosols more effectively.
Indoors, it’s important to “make sure you’ve got some means of getting fresh air in and out of a space”, says Prof Cath Noakes, a ventilation expert at the University of Leeds.
At home, it’s a good idea to keep a window or door open. And check that restaurants and
pubs you visit are doing the same.
(4) A crowded room still remains a risky scenario.
If there are more people in one place, there’s more chance one of them is infected – and
more targets for them to infect. Crowding also makes it more likely people will come into close contact.
You’re most likely to catch the coronavirus in a crowded, poorly ventilated space. That makes offices & workshop seminars very risky places to frequent.
In addition, the possibility of airborne transmission means even if you only interact with a handful of people, you could still catch it from someone on the other side of the room !
Summary
The 5th preventative measure against COVID-19 infection is vaccination. Its importance and efficacy merits a sub-section all by itself which is what we have done i.e. Part 4 which can be accessed by Clicking This LINK.
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