The WHO marked World Health Day on Thursday by focusing global attention on the interconnectedness between the planet and people’s health while China’s National Health Commission identified this year’s theme for the special day as “healthy home, healthy China.”
Meanwhile, DT News reminded Shenzhen citizens about the importance of practicing good hygiene habits while the city is still facing pressure in epidemic prevention and control.
DT News suggested that people should wear masks in public places, wash hands frequently, avoid gatherings and keep social distance. When receiving mails or delivery boxes, people must remember to wear masks and gloves, and disinfect packages before unpacking.
DT News cited national health experts and detailed COVID cases in explaining the hygiene habits:
Washing hands frequently
Five COVID cases were found in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, from March 31 to April 3 this year. Epidemiological investigations found that some of the infected had touched the same bathroom door handle.
China CDC’s epidemiology expert Wu Zunyou said that studies in the past two years found that COVID-19 may spread from contaminated objects or surfaces to human beings. Hand washing can effectively cut off this pathway.
No public spitting
On March 10, a confirmed COVID case (Patient B) was reported in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Investigation found that Case B and another confirmed case (Patient A) had a brief interaction March 6.
Patient A spat in an outdoor space while passing by Patient B who wasn’t wearing a mask. Zhang Yi, a disease control expert from Shaanxi CDC, said that Patient A was diagnosed March 8 and was shedding the virus March 6. In the process of coughing, spitting or sneezing, droplets excreted from the body floated in the air, which caused transmission.
Covering your mouth and nose
when sneezing or coughing
In 2020, eight COVID patients were found in Tianjin’s Dongjiang port. The Tianjin CDC found that the first infected person in the community did not wear a mask while taking an elevator. The person coughed and sneezed in the confined space, polluting the elevator and leading to the infection of other residents in the community.
Wearing masks in public places
and keeping social distance
In March, while tracing the virus source of a newly confirmed patient, Shenzhen investigators found out that the patient had close contact with another COVID patient in a supermarket. The two patients stood in the same aisle, back-to-back in front of the shelves on both sides to pick up goods, with one of them not wearing a mask. Their virus genome sequencing report further confirmed the relation between the two patients.
Experts explained that COVID-19 mainly spread through droplets. Affected by gravity, most of the droplets fall to the ground within a distance of 1 to 2 meters. Therefore, keeping a safe distance of over 1 meter between people has become the basic requirement of epidemic prevention.
Regular ventilation and
disinfection in closed places
The government website of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region said March 20 that a KTV entertainment venue in Qinzhou violated relevant virus control provisions, resulting in a cluster of new COVID cases.
Shi Xiaoming, director of the Environmental Institute of China CDC, said that the air circulation in confined spaces like cinemas and KTVs is relatively poor, and viruses are easier to spread in such environment.
Be cautious while purchasing
overseas goods
Four items of clothing brought from South Korea were recently found to be contaminated with the virus in Changshou, Jiangsu Province.
Zhang Liubo, a leading expert of disinfection at China CDC, said that imported goods are likely to be contaminated by the virus as the epidemic is still developing worldwide.
When opening mails and delivery boxes, citizens are suggested to wear masks and disposable gloves to reduce direct contact. Disinfection is strongly suggested for imported goods.