How To Prevent Virus Spread
Mask “Le Nouveau Normal”, Collection Incunabula ©Noemie Devime Paris, Model Ruby Soho, Photo© Marilyn Mugot
As we entered into the recovery phase, the happiness and euphoria legitimately brought by the retrieval of freedom after being lockdown come with a downside — we forgot, again, about the basic rules of hygiene that kept us safe during the pandemic. The issue with this is that SARS-CoV-2 has not been eradicated yet. The number of new cases is still increasing day after day, all over the world (See stats here), and no vaccine has been fully developed so far. Scientists already warned the population about the second wave of contamination that will happen if we are not vigilant enough — And this, even if the first wave is still occurring. It means, we can’t lower the guards right now.
“Exiting lockdowns must be done carefully, in a step-wise manner, and must be driven by the data.” Ghebreyesus, head of WHO, said in an interview for Business Insider.
In order to minimize contamination and spread of SARS-CoV-2 — and many other viruses, if not all — several good hygiene habits have to be maintained, or initiated — it is never too late! Just as a reminder and for the sake of public health, I will describe several good habits everyone should follow to prevent any viruses contamination and spread. There are in no particular order because they are all equally important.
Wash Your Hands!
Washing your hands several times a day is crucial to prevent virus contamination and spread. Soap and water together are still the best way to keep your hands clean, and using hand sanitizer on top of it, is even better (See video at the end of the section).
With Soap and Water
It might seem obvious but washing hands will go a long way in virus prevention matter. Hands are parts of our body the most frequently in contact with all sorts of microbes. We are constantly touching surfaces around us. We must wash our hands frequently using soap and clean water. We might certainly not need the level of sterility a surgeon requires to operate but even so, a proper technique will be more efficient in virus removal. Interestingly, to validate this theory, mathematicians created a viral spread simulation based on a self-reported survey in the UK. They found out that washing hands would reduce transmission from 22%. The model was used in the BBC documentary « Contagion ».
Recommended technique
Use Soap
Wash for 20 seconds. Don’t forget under the nails and in between fingers.
Rinse and dry with a clean paper towel.
A useful tip to make sure the washing last about 20 seconds is to sing the famous “Happy birthday” song and stop the washing when the song is done. Try it, it works impressively well.
Recommendation displayed in the bathroom of a coffee shop (Photo credit: HorizonLab Photography)
Hand Sanitizer as a complement of soap and water
The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in between traditional soap wash is also recommended. You can easily buy it again in stores but just in case of shortage, WHO gave away a DIY recipe. For 1 liter solution, you’ll need
830 ml Ethanol (>60%) or rubbing alcohol
40 ml oxygen peroxide (Optional)
15 ml glycerine
115ml water
Warning: be extra careful when mixing oxygen peroxide. It is a powerful oxidant when mixed with organic products may result in a violent chemical reaction.
In the recipe mentioned above, ethanol or rubbing alcohol will dry out your skin. It is important to counterbalance this effect with the protective and hydrant benefits of glycerine and aloe vera.
As promised earlier, here is an excellent Youtube video illustrating how washing your hands with soap, water, and hand sanitizer is efficient against viruses and other germs. If you are like Saint Thomas, “you only believe what you see”, this video is for you.\
Sneeze/cough in your elbow/sleeve
Sneezing and coughing are natural mechanisms your body uses to clear airways. All the dust, pollen, and viruses are encapsulated in tiny droplets and expulsed in the air. The droplets are traveling a fair amount of distance before landing on various surfaces. Sneezing and coughing are the main cause of airborne virus contamination and spread. The following video illustrated the concept of droplets and how those are easily spread.
Now you know all about sneezing or coughing. You understand the necessity to cover your mouth when it happens. The simplest way to do so is to sneeze in your elbow or sleeves — not directly into your hands. If you do the latter, you would spread the viruses by touching surfaces around you. Indeed, you also now understand the importance to wear a mask in public spaces.
Don’t touch your face!
Photo by Jacqueline Day on Unsplash
Our face is the most exposed body part to outside elements. Our eyes, the inside of our nose, and the inside of our mouth are made of mucous membranes — thin and permeable. These regions are considered entrance doors from the outside world. It’s a perfect opportunity for virus intrusions.
Infection may occur when you:
Scratch your eyes.
Clean up your nose with your fingers.
Put your fingers in or nearby the mouth. ( btw I strongly recommend stopping licking your fingers during or after eating something delicious. It is ok to wash off with soap and water the little leftover on your fingers )
Let’s be realistic it is not the end of the world if you can’t stop completely. Touching our face is a spontaneous action, therefore very difficult to prevent. According to science, touching our face helps reduce stress and discomfort. We do need this in such a time of uncertainty. As long as you keep your hands clean, you should be fine but still, try your best.
Wear your face mask in public!
Wearing a face mask in public spaces is one the most effective way to prevent viruses spread around you. Not only it will protect others from you, but it will also protect you from others. A recent study brought to light convincing data about the beneficial contribution of wearing a face mask during the pandemic. In the study, States were mandated to enforce mask wear in public settings. As a result, wearing a mask was positively correlated to a decrease in new COVID-19 cases. The concept of wearing a mask has also been elaborated in a scientific article published in The Lancet.
Face masks, the new normal
Fashion designers understood quickly that the face masks are becoming an everyday element of clothing. Stylists from all over the world are bringing their own touch of creativity to it. As you would pick a scarf that matches your jacket, you would pick a face mask in your dressing room for the same reason.
Here are two designers I deeply admire — for their creative work but also their humble personalities. Let’s start with the French designer Noemie Devime. She is from Paris. During the lockdown, Noemie offered a lot of her “Haute couture” resources to make and provide face masks to the health professionals, first responders, and firefighters in the country. She clearly did her part of altruism by giving her sewing skills to serve others in need. She now opened her own line of face mask. Check out her Instagram account “@le.nouveau.normal” for more info. It is beautiful and it speaks for itself.
Noemie Devime’ s Instagram account “@le.nouveau.normal” (Photo credit: Courtesy from Noemie)
Let’s continue with a local artist Emily Wool. She is from Virginia, USA. Emily is an expert in patterns. She observes Nature, unveils the patterns, and carves them. Emily designs clothes and prints the patterns on them using her unique touch. During the lockdown, Emily sewed face masks and sent them to whoever needed them. She is currently making extras for people who use their voices in demonstrations to support the creation of a more equal world. You should check out her work on Instagram (@emilyruthprints), it is fantastic.
Emily Wool’s Instagram account “@Emilyruthprints” (Photo credit: Courtesy from Emily)
One last word
Repeat is the key to learning. The human brain retains information after listening, reading, or watching them multiple times over a long period of time. Therefore, hearing everywhere that you need to wash your hands frequently, you need to sneeze and cough in your sleeve and you need to wear a facemask in public spaces is a good thing. A constant reminder of preventive measures never hurts, au contrary it saves lives!
