Preventative measures against COVID-19

2020-03-13

Residents are advised to take the following preventative measures: wash hands often; do not to touch your face after you have touched or have been in contact with surfaces in public spaces; avoid physical contact with other people; stay at home when you are sick; and sneeze and cough in a tissue.

South Africa’s response to the Coronavirus outbreak is being led by the National Department of Health (NDoH), with support from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), World Health Organisation, and the Centre for Disease Control.

The City of Cape Town is one of the partners involved in the response under direction from the National Health Department and the Western Cape Health Department.

The following measures are recommended by the World Health Organisation:

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, as this kills viruses that may be on your hands.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. 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 make you sick.
  • Make sure you and the people around you, follow good cough hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing as small droplets that come out of your nose or mouth can carry germs. Throw the tissue in a bin immediately and wash your hands. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve. When someone coughs or sneezes, they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. By following good cough hygiene principles, you protect the people around you from cold and flu viruses.
  • Avoid close contact with people who have a fever and a cough. You may inhale the liquid droplets that spray from their nose or mouth which may contain cold or flu viruses.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with soap and water. The viruses that cause colds and flu stay on surfaces such as desks, telephones, tables etc. If you cough and sneeze all over these surfaces, it becomes contaminated and if you touch those surfaces with your hands, you can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth.

Numerous resources have been made available to the public regarding COVID-19. These include: