Why should you stay at home during coronavirus pandemic?  

Coronavirus pandemic is now spreading all over the world and most of the countries of the world are in the state of lockdown. Government authorities as well as World Health Organization are suggesting people to follow the safety measures. Staying home unless there is emergency to go out is one of the things suggested to all of us during this outbreak.

How staying in home is useful for control of pandemic? 

As the virus has spread all over the world, no one of this globe is immune to it. During early stage of the disease the people are symptomless even they have acquired the disease. As the virus spread by droplet infection and the items the infected person touches with contaminated hands, its high chance that one may get disease in the mass and outside the home. Even many of the cases may be undiagnosed.

Staying at home will help control the spread of the virus to friends, the wider community, and particularly the most vulnerable groups.

Who must stay at home?

These people must stay at home in self quarantine away from other people for preventing the spread of the disease.

• Those who have visited or came from highly prevalent areas of COVID-19 must stay at the self quarantine for at least two weeks even if they don’t have symptoms. 
• The contacts of those travelling in same plane or public transport who has been confirmed with the virus need to stay at home as self quarantine. 
• Family members and the near ones who have visited the confirmed positive cases 

What can you do during the period of self quarantine at home?

It’s obviously a tedious job to stay in home locked up for couple of weeks. During this crisis time its important to look after our physical and mental health. World Health Organization director Dr. Tredos Ghebreyesus suggests these healthy measures to do during the time of self quarantine at home:

• Eat healthy and nutritious diet: It helps to function your immune system properly.
• Limit your alcohol consumption and avoid sugary drink.

• Don’t smoke: Smoking can increase your risk of developing severe diseases if you become infected with COVID-10
• Exercise: WHO recommends 30 minutes of physical exercise a day for adults and one hour for children. Exercise videos online may be good option to try or do some yoga or walk up down the stairs. If you are working from the home make sure that you don’t sit in the same position for long periods. Get up and take three minutes break every 30 minutes.
• Look after your mental health: It’s normal to feel stressed, confused and scared during the crisis. Talking the people you know and trust can help. Supporting other people in your community can help you as much as it does for them. Check on neighbours, family and friends. Compassion is the medicine. Listen to music, read a book or play a game and try not to watch or read too much news if it makes you anxious. Get your information from reliable sources once a twice a day.

Dr. Tredos adds, “COVID-19 is taking so much from us. But it’s also giving us something special. But it has also giving something special, the opportunity to come together as one humanity to work together, to learn together, to grow together."

Stay home and stay safe all people!