Deadly New Strain Suggests Time to Review Hygiene Procedures!

Deadly New Strain Suggests Time to Review Hygiene Procedures!
January 27, 2020
By John Dilena

During the past few days, the spread of a deadly strain of coronavirus first detected in Wuhan, China has raised concerns of a wider outbreak that would increase the risks of significant economic and social impacts in the wider world. This coronavirus, which is the same type of virus that led to a disruptive global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002 and 2003, was first reported in November. Chinese officials have mobilized an official response and raised public awareness, which could help alleviate its spread.

Of course, it's possible the full extent of the outbreak within China has been underestimated and underreported. At present, more than 500 confirmed cases of infection have been reported, covering almost all Chinese provinces, as well as seven other countries including japan, Thailand and the United States. At a time of the Chinese New Year season, heavy travel could well spread the disease and inflict broader impacts on global travel and tourism. We anticipate the World Health Organization will decide if it will declare this a global emergency and what that means for funding and world attention.

You are likely now wondering,How can I protect myself from illness in the workplace? While at this point the new virus appears to be less deadly and less contagious than the one behind SARS, the lengthy incubation period for the new virus (which is longer than MERS or SARS), means it takes much longer for those infected to show symptoms, thus making early detection and preparation difficult. Since hands are the number one way disease is transmitted between individuals, that means this is an important time to review the hygiene procedures. Keeping hands clean with soap and water is one of most important things everyone can do to stay healthy.

Follow these five important steps every time you wash:

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water, turn off the tap, and apply soap.

2. Lather up your hands by rubbing them together with the soap.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.

4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

5. Dry your hands using a clean paper towel.

If soap and water aren't convenient, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol, like one gallon size 80% Isopropyl Alcohol Spray Liquid Hand Sanitizer. The entire hand sanitizing process should take approximately 15 seconds:

1. Apply a small (dime-quarter sized) amount of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in

the palm of your hand. It should be enough to cover all hand surfaces.

2. Rub the hand sanitizer into the palms of hands, fingers, back and front of hands.

3. Continue rubbing hands together until dry.