The Wuhan Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is the world’s latest supervillain. Its tyranny peaks when unleashed among people squashed in a tiny space. Large crowds of people. Small space. That describes Singapore. Still, life goes on. Work continues. Events are being hosted. We find a way to smile despite the looming threat of death around us. As we go about our daily activities, keeping ourselves safe from Coronavirus as we go for events is of utmost importance.
The government has been implementing various measures to safeguard our nation. Venues owners and event organisers are being briefed on how to keep their event venue safe. As an attendee, how then can you keep yourself safe from the Wuhan coronavirus? We have compiled a few Tips to Keep Yourself Safe from Wuhan Coronavirus in Events.
1. Know thy enemy
The Wuhan Coronavirus has similar symptoms to the common cold.
- Runny Nose
- Cough
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
- Fever
The severity of symptoms, ranging from being non-existent to high fever, makes it harder to detect. Hence, if you are unsure, it is always best to take more precautions.
If you have one or more than one symptoms listed above, consider staying at home.
If you are coughing or sneezing, it’s not the time to make it rain. Please cough into a tissue and immediately dispose of it in a trash bin.
If you are feeling perfectly fit and would like to attend the event, please make adequate preparations which we have listed below.
2. Stand out from the crowd with these fashionable face masks
According to Professor Leo Yee Sin, executive director of National Centre for Infectious Diseases, a surgical face mask is enough. In fact, if you are feeling perfectly fine, it is not even necessary for you to wear one. Only those with respiratory symptoms such as cough and runny nose should wear face masks to avoid large particle droplets from touching others.
What about the N95? At this point in time, it is not needed. The N95 mask is for medical professionals who are working in concentrated environments treating patients. The N95 is so secure that healthcare workers undergo fittings to find out which brand of N95 mask fits them. However, the drawback is that it is extremely hard to breathe in.
After knowing the importance and reasons why you should wear a face mask, what happens if you still want to attend an event?
Stand out with these stylish surgical face masks.
Image Credit to Tecmask
Image Credit to Maskeraid
A simple Google search will yield many results for these stylish face masks that are not sold in Watsons or Unity. Have fun pairing up your mask with your attire!
However, proper hygiene and regular changing of face masks are still required. Without these two precautions, viruses trapped in the face masks can slowly make their way to your respiratory tract.
Now that you got your surgical mask, learn how to wear your surgical mask and not be like this guy here.
Image Credit to GIPHY
Follow this guy.
Image Credit to HealthHub SG
- The side of the mask, with a stiff bendable edge, is the top and should fit around your nose
- The coloured side is usually the front and should face away from you
- Pull the bottom of the mask over your mouth and chin
3. At the event, avoid bodily contact even with yourself
Avoiding bodily contact is the mantra. Even with yourself. A study showed that humans touch their face every 20 minutes. This is akin to giving the virus a VIP ride to infect you.
Avoid touching surfaces as the viruses and bacteria might still be there.
What if someone wants to shake your hand?
We have the solution for you.
Image Credit to GIPHY
Just kidding! :p
However, if there is someone crazy enough to go around shaking hands, you can be crazy enough to refuse too. Politely cite to the person the ongoing situation and all should be forgiven.
4. Wash your hands regularly
The most basic rule of hygiene is to wash your hands regularly. They remove germs on your hand and help prevent the spread of infections.
If face masks are your armour, hand sanitisers are your weapon. Get one with around 70 – 80% alcohol content as the combination of water and alcohol is effective in killing viral infections. Many health care chain stores sell mini hand sanitiser so get one before stock runs out!
Image Credit to GIPHY
Otherwise, take some time and take at least 20 seconds to wash your hands carefully with soap.
If you are drying your hands, do not use a hand dryer. They have been proven to spread germs rather than remove them. Use a hand towel instead.
5. Avoid consuming raw meat
It’s time to let sashimi go for the time being.
There is no evidence that food consumption is linked to the Wuhan Coronavirus. According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), Singapore does not import raw meat from China.
However, it is a good safety practice. Raw meat is a hotbed for infectious diseases.
6. Stay away from people who seem sick
Are we telling you not to mingle around? NO! That would defeat the whole purpose of attending an event. Just keep that touchy, overly-friendly self in you locked away for the time being. Keep a distance when you are interacting with anyone.
However, if you do see someone sneezing and coughing repeatedly, please practice common sense and Forest Gump away.
Image Credit to GIPHY
All in all, don’t panic.
Singapore is well prepared against Coronavirus. Most venue owners and event organisers are already taking rigorous measures to ensure the safety of all participants. Simply cooperate and enjoy the event!
Do take note that in the case of an emergency, the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) will no longer apply and your data will be shared with relevant authorities.
