Social distancing is a crucial aspect of controlling the spread of Covid-19 and we have to do it effectively writes Meera Murugesan
THE Covid-19 pandemic has now taken a drastic turn not only on a global scale but in Malaysia as well.
The Movement Control Order is aimed at mitigating the further spread of the virus.
But how do we effectively carry out social distancing?
According to Dr Nor Hayati Shaharuddin, Pantai Hospital Ayer Keroh, Malacca’s internal medicine and infectious diseases consultant, both social distancing and quarantine are strategies aimed at keeping people who have been exposed, or might have been exposed, away from others as much as possible for a 14 day period, which is considered the incubation period of Covid-19 (although symptoms can appear within a few days of exposure.)
“It is not just about keeping you from getting the virus. It is also about keeping the virus from spreading in the general population.”
She adds that there is a bit of overlap between social distancing and quarantine.
Social distancing is the practice of purposefully reducing close contact between people. It means maintaining a distance of about 1-2 metres from others when possible, avoiding gatherings and remaining out of crowded areas as much as possible.
The main reason for social distancing is to “flatten the curve”. Flattening the curve is a concept to reduce the number of people who are sick at one time. If there are high surges in the number of Covid-19 cases all at once, healthcare systems and resources could potentially become overwhelmed.
Efforts that help stop Covid-19 from spreading rapidly – like social distancing – help keep the number of people who are sick at one time as low as possible.
Self-quarantine means completely staying at home and away from other people, including those in your household, as much as possible, for a 14-day quarantine period.
“Self-quarantine is instructed to separate and restrict the movement of someone who is well but who recently had close contact with a person who later was diagnosed with the virus,” says Dr Nor Hayati.
A person in self-quarantine should continue to distance themselves physically from the rest of the family such as sleeping in a separate space and not eating together or sharing personal stuff.
SOCIAL DISTANCING TIPS
*Do aggressively wash your hands if you have gone to a public place with high-touch areas like the supermarket or pharmacy.
*Be careful with high touch areas such as the petrol nozzle, doorknob, lift buttons, railings, escalator handles, shopping trolley and ATM keyboards.
*Do practise social distancing as much as possible if you go out to get groceries.
*If you have to go to a healthcare facility, keep your distance from others in waiting areas and while queuing. Don’t assume that a clinic or hospital routinely disinfects everything.
* Do reschedule healthcare appointments that are not essential.
*Do take proper precautions when getting deliveries or take-away and using drive-throughs. Maintain the 1-2 metre social distancing.
*Do disinfect or safely dispose of anything that may have been contaminated such as packaging material.