What to do to keep yourself and others safe from COVID-19

Maintain at least a 1-metre distance between yourself and others to reduce your risk of infection when they cough, sneeze or speak. Maintain an even greater distance between yourself and others when indoors. The further away, the better.

Make wearing a mask a normal part of being around other people. The appropriate use, storage and cleaning or disposal are essential to make masks as effective as possible.

How to make your environment safer

To reinforce the above, Ministry of Health Malaysia has also shared the 3C’s and 3W’s guideline as below:

1. 3C – Practice physical distancing, and AVOID:
   1. CROWDED Place
   1. CONFINED Space
   1. CLOSE Conversation
2. 3W – Maintain good personal hygiene and FREQUENTLY:
   1. WASH hands with soap and water,
   1. WEAR face mask especially in public places or when encountering people who are having fever and flu,
   1. WARN – practise caution by avoiding handshakes, practice cough and sneeze etiquette, stay at home and seek medical treatment if you are not well

Don’t forget the basics of good hygiene

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. This eliminates germs including viruses that may be on your hands.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and infect you.

Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately into a closed bin and wash your hands. By following good ‘respiratory hygiene’, you protect the people around you from viruses, which cause colds, flu and COVID-19.

Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently especially those which are regularly touched, such asdoor handles, faucets and phone screens.

What to do if you feel unwell

Know the full range of symptoms of COVID-19. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms that are less common and may affect some patients include loss of taste or smell, aches and pains, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, red eyes, diarrhoea, or a skin rash.

Stay home and self-isolate even if you have minor symptoms such as cough, headache, mild fever, until you recover. Call your health care provider or hotline for advice. Have someone bring you supplies. If you need to leave your house or have someone near you, wear a medical mask to avoid infecting others.

If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately. Call by telephone first, if you can and follow the directions of your local health authority.