Protection Against Infection Through Proper Hygiene

Protection against infection with the Corona virus is currently a high priority: it is a responsibility of society as a whole that everyone shares and can influence through their actions.

The key: washing your hands!

This measure sounds trivial at first, but is very effective. Every day our hands are in contact with numerous objects, we hold ourselves in the face or greet others with a handshake - this creates an immediate transmission of the pathogens. Washing with soap destroys the virus envelope, which consists of fatty acids (lipids). In this way they are rendered harmless. However, since lipids are insoluble in water, simply rinsing them under cool water is not enough.

The recommendation for proper hand washing:
Thoroughly wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, then dry well.

You should regularly integrate this ritual into your everyday life: after using the toilet, before and after eating, when you come home and, of course, when you have a cold yourself. After coughing or sneezing, hand washing should be done routinely. Change towels regularly at home and use disposable paper towels in public toilets if possible.

On distance

In the case of a normal wave of illness, it is usually sufficient if the handshake or hugs are waived for a while in social life. Due to the corona virus, these recommendations for infection protection now go even further: "Social Distancing" is the term that is now on everyone's lips. It describes the retreat into one's own home and the closest family circle, the avoidance of public places (if they are still accessible) and the keeping of the general distance from others, should a meeting in the supermarket be unavoidable, for example. What might otherwise seem rude in normal cooperation is currently a responsible decision that everyone - also out of consideration for others - should make.

You should postpone invitations to friends or family celebrations to a later date, avoiding large crowds. Instead, keep in touch via video telephony, email or smartphone.

"Right" cough and sneeze

Despite the spread of the virus, the cold and flu waves are of course not exposed. Preventing infection with these infectious diseases is still important just to relieve the current health system. But otherwise, a good cough and sneeze label should not be dispensed with out of courtesy.
Contrary to the habit of many, this means: Do not hold out your hands . If there is no handkerchief at hand, cough or sneeze in the crook of your arm. In this way, the viruses are not sprayed in the air and can later be transmitted less easily.
For reasons of hygiene, paper handkerchiefs are generally preferable to those made of fabric - but this only applies if they are really disposed of after a single use.

Don't touch your face

Try not to touch your face with your hands for half an hour. That is hard? In fact, we keep touching our mouths, noses, eyes or putting our heads in our hands throughout the day for a variety of reasons. This is the ideal way for viruses to get into our body unhindered via the respiratory tract. Therefore, you should avoid touching the face as much as possible. Make yourself aware of the topic and distract your hands, but do not stiffen yourself - otherwise the impulse to have to grab your cheek or chin will only get bigger. If you can't avoid it, you can use paper tissues so that you don't get in direct contact with your face. If none of this helps,