Table of contents:
- List of mistakes that can worsen the COVID-19 outbreak
- 1. Do not self-quarantine when sick
- 1,024,298
- 831,330
- 28,855
- 2. Not living a clean and healthy lifestyle
- 3. Believe in conspiracy theories, but not health professionals
- 4. Hoarding masks for personal gain
- 5. Seek alternative medicine
Every country in various parts of the world is now working to stop the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak which is increasingly widespread. However, amidst the uncertainty and anxiety over COVID-19, some parties may make mistakes that exacerbate the outbreak and create new fears.
COVID-19 is a new disease for which neither a vaccine nor a cure has yet been found. The virus that causes it is a new type of coronavirus that has never been recognized. With the lack of information related to COVID-19, it is not surprising that there is a lot of mixed news circulating about this outbreak.
Then, what are the mistakes that need to be avoided so as not to worsen the COVID-19 outbreak?
List of mistakes that can worsen the COVID-19 outbreak
1. Do not self-quarantine when sick
All people experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 are advised to self-quarantine, as reported on the official website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Symptoms include low-grade fever, cough and sore throat.
Meanwhile, people who experience more severe symptoms such as high fever, body lethargy or weakness, and shortness of breath should immediately go to the hospital. The patient will need to undergo isolation treatment until his condition improves.
Even though it has been suggested by the CDC, it turns out that not everyone understands the importance of quarantine when sick. This is very unfortunate, because even COVID-19 patients who have not shown symptoms can transmit the infection to healthy people.
This is one of the common mistakes that can exacerbate the COVID-19 outbreak and widen its spread. In fact, one simple quarantine step will play a big role in preventing the transmission of COVID-19.
1,024,298
Confirmed831,330
Recovered28,855
DeathDistribution Map2. Not living a clean and healthy lifestyle
Another mistake that can exacerbate the COVID-19 outbreak is to trivialize a clean and healthy lifestyle. In fact, this is the most important step you need to take to protect yourself from spreading COVID-19.
The CDC suggests some simple habits that will help reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, namely:
- Routinely wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Routinely clean items that are often touched using cleaning fluids.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth without washing your hands first.
- Cover mouth and nose when sneezing using a tissue, or with a sleeve if tissue is not available.
- Wear a mask if you experience symptoms of COVID-19, or if you are caring for a COVID-19 patient.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Do not travel outside the home when sick.
COVID-19 is transmitted through droplet (virus-containing liquid splash) that enters the body directly or is on the surface of goods. Therefore, the best way to avoid it is to keep yourself and the environment clean.
3. Believe in conspiracy theories, but not health professionals
The internet and social media are full of misinformation and conspiracy theories regarding COVID-19. For example, some conspiracy theories suggest that the COVID-19 outbreak does not exist and is not a serious health threat.
If someone believes that COVID-19 is just a hoax and experiences the symptoms, he will certainly ignore these symptoms and risk infecting many people. This is a mistake that then exacerbates the COVID-19 outbreak and hinders prevention.
The situation can be even worse if the patient does not trust the advice of medical professionals and believes more in suggestions that are not necessarily correct. Instead of recovering, the patient's condition can actually worsen and the disease can spread more widely.
4. Hoarding masks for personal gain
People have been buying masks in droves since the emergence of COVID-19. This is another mistake that can exacerbate the COVID-19 outbreak, because the use of masks for healthy people is not effective at preventing transmission.
Regular surgical masks cannot protect you from the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The reason is, this mask is loose on the mouth and nose. The filters are also not dense enough to keep out tiny viruses.
The function of masks will be more effective when used by people who are sick, medical personnel at risk, or those who care for sick family members at home. If there are many healthy people who buy masks, those who really need them will find it difficult to get masks so that they are at high risk of disease.
5. Seek alternative medicine
If people who show symptoms of COVID-19 do not self-quarantine and instead seek alternative treatment, their condition can actually get worse. In addition, he is also more at risk of transmitting COVID-19 to others.
Currently, there is no vaccine or cure for COVID-19. Some natural ingredients are claimed to relieve symptoms and prevent transmission of COVID-19, but these claims still need to be proven by further research.
COVID-19 has so far been treated with treatments aimed at restoring the patient's health so that his body is able to fight the virus on its own. So, beware of claims that certain methods can treat COVID-19.
In addition, regular consumption of vitamins and minerals is also good for maintaining endurance. Increasing endurance not only by consuming vitamin C, but also requires a combination of several vitamins and minerals.
Other types of vitamins that you need for example vitamins A, E, and B complex. In order for your immune system to be strong, you also need minerals such as selenium, zinc and iron. Selenium maintains cell strength and prevents DNA damage. Then zinc triggers an immune response. In addition, iron helps absorption of vitamin C.
In an urgent situation such as the outbreak of COVID-19, some people may make mistakes that can worsen the spread of the outbreak. Although common, mistakes like these need to be contained to avoid panic and fear.
You can play an active role by taking a few simple steps. This step is to recognize the common symptoms of COVID-19, adopt a clean and healthy lifestyle, and sort out the information circulating around you.
