Published on: July 1, 2020
As the nation gradually reopens to a new normal, our Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr. Nicholas Chew, discusses what lies ahead and the safe measures we should continue to undertake.
While it is finally refreshing to step out of the house, Dr. Chew reminds that we need to approach this with what he terms as “an abundance of care and caution.”
“There may be a clear decline of cases in the community but we still need to keep our wits about us because we are not at zero (infected case status) yet,” he explained.
He said that remaining vigilant is a must. He also advised that listening closely to the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health ensures that we stay abreast of the measures prevailing against the country’s ongoing infected case status and control guidelines.
Keep the Masks On at Social Gatherings
Whilst phase two allows the relaxing of some much-welcomed measures such as social gatherings within households, Dr. Chew says this will be a sort of litmus test for how families and households exercise social distancing in the coming weeks.
As families and friends reunite for gatherings at home, the basic precautionary steps like wearing a mask are an important feature not to be disregarded.
“The mask is still vital,” Dr. Chew elaborates, “because for those who are unwell (with or without COVID-19), the mask will keep the amount of secreted droplets, from the person who coughed or sneezed into the environment, to the bare minimum.”
He also stressed that keeping our face masks clean when we set these aside to have our meals is vital as well. Dr. Chew recommends ensuring that we have a clean Ziploc bag in handy so as to safely store it for use again after meals. He offers that while ladies can place their face masks into their handbags so that it is not touching a common surface like the dining table, gentlemen can place their masks into a Ziploc bag and into their pockets.
“For sure, we don’t want it to fall accidentally because then, you will be stuck without a mask,” Dr. Chew added.
Keep the Distance
With more malls and retail outlets reopening, Dr. Chew advised that we should remain cautious about crowds in Singapore. He reasons that the island republic still has a lack of space. Therefore, a two-meter distancing measure between each individual shopper cannot really be imposed if everyone rushes out to a location.
“I think we are going to run out of space very quickly. So it is better to not follow the crowds and rush outdoors immediately. Even though you are told to keep your distance and you do follow these well, you’ve got a limited amount of space. Before you know it, you have no choice but to creep closer and closer to someone next to you,” he said.
“My advice is that you know, you need to play it by ear. If you see that you’re in a certain situation that looks too close for comfort, then you know that is wrong. If you feel uncomfortable and think you’re not doing the right thing then exercise your rights and move on to somewhere else.”
Extra Care to Elderly
With an additional easing of visiting loved ones in elder care facilities as well, Dr. Chew says it is very important that we pay special attention and extra care in protecting our elderly who may have existing medical conditions
“Grandchildren or children visiting them should be mindful about the need to check first that they are well with no symptoms, no upper respiratory track symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat or fever. If there’s any doubt at all, it’s better to err on the side of caution and perhaps postpone the visit. Of course, the personal hygiene and sanitization are crucial to preparing to meet with the elderly as well,” he adds.
Wiping Down Surfaces at Diners
Being able to dine-in offers a respite for some who have felt cooped up in the past months. Before you sit, it is not a bad idea to sanitize surfaces before settling down at a table.
“There is no way of knowing how well the person before you has cleaned up or whether the restaurant and the bar staff have wiped it adequately,” he explained. He suggests to bring along a small bottle of alcohol-based sanitizer to spray on and wipe off. He also reminds that on top of sanitizing surfaces, we must remember to sanitize hands frequently, especially before every meal.
When asked if wearing gloves is a way out, Dr. Chew explained that it does not necessarily negate the need for sanitizing hands and surfaces.
“The person who may not bother to sanitize at all is thinking that he’s protected with his rubber gloves but this disregards the safety of everybody else because his gloves may become contaminated and end up putting others at risk as he touches everything along the way instead – so bear that in mind as well,” he concluded.
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