‘Washing hands crucial in preventing transmission’

Boosting immune system makes people less likely to be affected by coronavirus, claim experts

KARACHI: Taking precautionary measures to prevent contracting the coronavirus is crucial, claimed Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s executive director Dr Seemin Jamali and Dr Essa’s Laboratory CEO Dr Farhan Essa Abdulla.

The experts explained coronavirus symptoms and measures that can be taken to avoid contracting the disease at an awareness session held by The Express Tribune for its staff members at its office on Thursday. The session was also shared with the public through a live-stream.

Highlighting the precautions, Dr Essa advised individuals to avoid touching their faces or rubbing their eyes without sanitising their hands. Meanwhile, Dr Jamali stressed the importance of disposing of used tissue papers safely in covered bins to avoid transmission.

According to the experts, people should also cover their face with their elbow when sneezing or coughing, use their own glass to drink beverages, frequently wash hands, avoid visiting crowded places and consult a doctor if there are symptoms. They also demonstrated the proper method of washing hands, adding that those without symptoms did not need to wear masks.

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Dr Essa and Dr Jamali also suggested that people must take proper rest and eat healthy to boost their immune systems, as an individual with a strong immune system is least likely to get infected by the virus.

Shedding light on coronavirus symptoms, they explained that the virus is similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and enters the lungs through the nose or the mouth, causing fever, cough, flu and difficulty in breathing.

They added that the virus has an incubation period, where symptoms can appear between two to 14 days. During this period, the suspected patients must quarantine themselves, but do not need to be kept in isolation unless confirmed positive.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2020.