How to Maintain Body Health During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which originated in Wuhan late last year, has now spread to many countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a pandemic because the disease has spread to more than half of the world's countries.

The Indonesian government's coronavirus monitoring site covid19.go.id records that COVID-19 has spread to 182 countries, including Indonesia, with 369 confirmed cases as of March 20, 2010. Globally, there are currently 250,618 confirmed cases of the virus, with over 10,000 deaths. Given the widespread spread of the disease, it's important to know how to maintain your health during the COVID-19 outbreak to avoid contracting the virus.

Get to know the characteristics of the Covid-19 coronavirus

The coronavirus can also spread indirectly through contaminated objects, such as droplets or contact with contaminated hands. Did you know? The coronavirus can remain on surfaces and can persist for hours to days.

According to observations published by the Journal of Hospital Infection, February 2020, the coronavirus can persist in some areas for the following periods:

• In the air = 3 hours
• Copper and aluminum = 3-4 hours
• Surgical or medical gloves = 8 hours
• Cardboard or cardboard = 24 hours
• Iron, steel, and plastic = 2 – 3 days
• Wood and glass = 4 days
• Paper = 4-5 days
• In some cases, this virus can even survive for up to 5 days.

According to WHO data, the respiratory system is the primary target of the coronavirus. In fact, 87.9% of infected patients experience fever, 67.7% experience a dry cough, and 28.1% experience fatigue. The most common post-infection complication is pneumonia.

Although it can survive for days, the coronavirus can also be killed. First, by spraying disinfectant on surfaces where the virus may be present. Second, by cleaning surfaces with soap, including when bathing and washing hands.

How to Maintain Body Health During the Coronavirus Pandemic to Avoid Infection

By understanding the characteristics of the coronavirus above, there are several steps you can take to avoid contracting COVID-19. You can implement these steps yourself or while you're in a public place. What are some ways to maintain your health during the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic to avoid contracting it?

1. Wash your hands

Washing your hands with soap is one of the most effective ways to maintain good health during the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak and prevent the spread of the virus. Start by wetting your palms with running water. Then, soap your palms and rub all surfaces of your hands, including the palms and backs of your hands, and between your fingers, for at least 20 seconds. Then, rinse thoroughly with running water and dry with a clean cloth or tissue.

Wash your hands frequently with soap, such as before eating, after coughing or sneezing, after touching objects in common areas such as door handles, stairs, etc. You also need to wash your hands after coming from outside the house.

2. Have hand sanitizer ready

If there's no place to wash your hands, you can use hand sanitizer instead. There are many different hand sanitizer products on the market, with alcohol content starting at 30%. The WHO recommends using hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. This is because hand sanitizer with 60% or more alcohol can kill COVID-19 viruses that are quite large, measuring 400-500 micrometers. If the alcohol content in the hand sanitizer is less than 60%, it is only effective at killing smaller bacteria, measuring 0.5-5 micrometers. Therefore, don't forget to always carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with 60% or more alcohol when traveling.

3. Don't touch the surface

This is trivial but difficult. The reason is that, as quoted from CNN Indonesia in March 2020, a 2015 Sydney University study stated that a person touches their face an average of 23 times per hour. The WHO states that the coronavirus can enter the human body through the mouth, nose, and eyes. Therefore, to maintain health during the coronavirus outbreak, you must practice keeping your hands still so as not to touch your face for at least one minute. If you succeed, increase the time to five minutes, and keep practicing, so you can truly reduce the habit of touching your face.

4. Consume nutritious food

Taking vitamins or supplements can boost the body's immune system to ward off exposure to the coronavirus. However, nutritionists agree that it's better to get vitamins and minerals directly from their sources than to consume them from medications or processed liquids.

Vitamin C plays a vital role in boosting the immune system because it stimulates the production of white blood cells, which are essential for fighting pus. Vegetables rich in vitamin C include broccoli (50 mg per bowl), a 45-gram bell pepper (109.1 mg), and spinach (28 milligrams per 100 g). You can also find vitamin C in fruits like oranges (59-83 mg per fruit), guava (200 mg), papaya (94 mg), kiwi (84 mg), strawberries (52 mg), and pineapple (39-49 mg). Drinking drinks made from spices like red ginger can also boost the immune system.

5. Keep the environment clean

Cleaning your home and the area around your desk at work can help reduce your exposure to viruses. Use a disinfectant to clean frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, keyboards and mice, kitchen utensils, light switches, drawer handles, and stair railings.

To disinfect, use soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub. Don't forget to wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting.

6. Bring your own cutlery

Always bring your own cutlery. Make sure to wash it thoroughly with soap. The coronavirus is highly resistant to metal surfaces. By bringing your own cutlery, you'll be more aware of its cleanliness. Avoid sharing cutlery, as the coronavirus can spread through droplets of saliva on spoons.

When in a common area

Apart from your own efforts, you also have to do the following things as a way to maintain your body's health when the corona virus or Covid-19 is in your area.

1. Do not make physical contact

The coronavirus can spread simply through shaking hands. Therefore, it's best to avoid holding hands. Avoid shaking hands and instead, use the namaste greeting or placing your hand on your heart.

2. Social distancing

One way to maintain your health during the coronavirus pandemic is to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from others when engaging in activities together. Why 1 meter? Because this is the range of droplets that can spread through the mouth when someone speaks. It's highly recommended to stay home if you're feeling sick or unwell. This can be dangerous as you could infect others.

3. Avoid public transportation

If you absolutely must travel, avoid public transportation. People mingle with each other on public transportation. Social distancing is impossible on public transportation. Often, passengers are crowded together, increasing the risk of coronavirus transmission.

4. Clean the table before sitting down at the restaurant.

Don't just sit down and put your hands on the table when you arrive at a restaurant. Clean the table first using a dry tissue and a wet tissue containing at least 60% alcohol. You don't know who has used it. Disinfecting the dining table is essential to kill any lingering viruses.

Considering that the coronavirus can cause critical illnesses, we need to know how to maintain our health during the Covid-19 outbreak so that we don't easily get infected by taking preventative measures starting from ourselves and when we are in public places.