The world of Tzu Chi March 2020(Vol.120)

TZU CHI 120 19 Source: World Health Organization (WHO) Q&A with Dr. Chee What are the precautionary measures we should take? We should wash our hands frequently, ensure our living spaces are well-ventilated and avoid visiting epidemic-hit areas and crowded or poorly-ventilated places. Most importantly, we have to sustain our immune system in optimum condition and practise healthy habits that boost our immunity, including maintaining a regular routine, obtaining sufficient sleep by going to bed and rising early, reducing stress, exercising regularly and increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Anxiety and fear weaken our immune system. What is the proper hand-washing method to effectively eliminate germs? Guidelines to common hand-washing techniques are easily accessible on the internet; the bottom line is to wash our hands under running water for more than 20 seconds each time, or double the duration if soap or liquid hand wash is unavailable. Soap contains protease enzymes that function to break down the protein layer coating virus cells. Alternatively, using liquid hand sanitizer containing alcohol in lieu of hand-washing works as well; hand sanitizing products with an alcohol content of 70 to 75 percent are sufficient in achieving a disinfecting effect. The amount of liquid hand sanitizer applied is considered ideal when the liquid only starts to evaporate off our hands after rubbing for 20 seconds. Ethanol and isopropyl alcohol with a concentration of 70 percent are effective substitutes for liquid hand sanitizer. Wet wipes containing alcohol are also useful disinfectant products. Is hand-washing more important than wearing a face mask in defending against the virus? Why? In short, yes. We commonly use surgical masks composed of three layers: the outermost layer is water-resistant to prevent liquid particles from penetrating into the inner layers of the mask; the middle layer serves as a filter to trap atmospheric particles larger than 5 μm in size (the coronavirus particle measures 0.125 μm in diameter); the innermost layer closest to the nose and mouth absorbs moisture. However, surgical masks exhibit limited effectiveness in filtering atmospheric particles as their flat, rectangular configuration makes it more difficult to form a secure fit between the edges of the mask and the face area, as compared to the contoured shape of protective face masks such as the N95 and filtering facepieces or FFP dust masks. Surgical masks are widely perceived as capable of filtering harmful substances in the atmosphere when in fact, they are designed to trap respiratory droplets released when the wearer coughs or sneezes. Staying Safe in Combating Coronavirus