What people can do individually to protect themselves against coronavirus is be prudent about where you go and the risk of where you go.
So, gymnasia for example. Gyms are high risk areas where there is a lot of COVID-19 around or when there is a lot of SARS-CoV-2 around. We are not saying don’t go to the gym but when I go to the gym I’m obsessive compulsive, I make sure there is hand sanitiser there, I make sure I wipe down the equipment. Wherever I touch the equipment I wipe down before I get on the equipment, barbells everything.
I’m obsessive compulsive at a gym and that will minimise the chance. And I’m washing my hands the whole time. Masks are not going to make any difference at all.
I’ve cancelled overseas trips, so I’m not going on any overseas trips. I just do not want to take that risk but I am travelling internally, I see no problem, no issues there and I’m not worried about aeroplanes.
It’s about hand washing. It’s about being prudent. It’s about if you have a cough or a cold it’s still more likely to be just a cough or a cold and not COVID-19 but you shouldn’t be going to work anyway if you’ve got a cough and a cold. So stay at home so you are not passing it on to somebody else. And steer clear of people who are coughing and so on and keep some social distance. Probably sensible not to kiss, not to shake hands, touch shoulders, kiss feet whatever you want to do, but hand washing is really important and at home keep the surfaces clean. Strong detergent works pretty well – hydrogen peroxide, weak bleach – all those things work on surfaces to help to kill the virus.
Dr Norman Swan, Physcian and Journalist
