What does Prevention Look Like in Your Community?

Want to learn more about COVID-19 prevention and protection activities you can do in your community? Watch this short video which gives tips on how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and tips on how to protect yourself, your family and your community.

Stop the spread of COVID-19! The virus may be on your hands and if you then touch your face, it can enter your body that way. By washing your hands with soap and water 🚰🧼 it kills the virus and prevents the spread between people. If clean water and soap is not available, you can use hand sanitizer and rub your hands together with it for 20 seconds.

If you do not have access to clean water and soap, alcohol based hand sanitizer is the second best option. Make sure to find one with at least 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol alcohol. Rub your hands together with it for 20 seconds.

If access to clean running water and soap is difficult, public hygiene stations for the public to come and wash their hands is a good way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hand sanitizer can also be made available in public locations if clean water is difficult to find. Good locations to put these hand washing stations in include markets, transport locations or other areas where many people go or where there is not easy access to clean water.

If there is no access to clean water and soap, no alcohol-based hand sanitizer available and no public hygiene station, then a weak chlorine solution (0.05%) can be used. Chlorine solutions must be made daily and stored in a cool dry place with a lid away from sunlight.

Physical distancing, keeping 2m or 6 ftis a good way to slow the spread of COVID-19. This can be hard when living in a crowded area, refugee camp or informal settlement. In some cases lockdown can pose risks given cramped living quarters with poor ventilation.

Some tips to help with this include:

• Marking places for people to stand in public places or areas where they will need to queue,
• have everyone wear masks in public,
• make sure people understand the importance of keeping space between them whenever possible,
• speak with community leaders and make sure everyone is sharing the same messages for prevention.

Just because you need to be physically distanced to help stop the spread of COVID-19 doesn't mean you should stop being social! Encourage people to check up on each other by phone, or through social media.

Wearing a cloth mask 😷 snug across your nose and mouth is an important way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Make sure your mask 😷 is a good fit, covering your nose, mouth and chin, and that there are no gaps on the side where the virus can travel in or out. Masks 😷 can help protect you and those around you from COVID-19, especially when you may not be able to keep 2 meters distance away from others such as in stores, pharmacies or on public transport. Along with wearing your mask 😷, be sure to wash your hands with soap 🧼 before putting in on or taking it off.

Wearing two masks 😷 one cloth and one surgical can give you even better protection against COVID-19. By wearing two masks it blocks even more of the virus from entering your body.

Make sure to talk to vulnerable people in your community who may be at higher risk for COVID-19. Ask for their input on how you can help support them and what actions they would like to be taken in the community. Make sure targeted messages are provided to them in an accessible way and that they're able to receive information relevant to them.

Vulnerable populations should take the same actions as the general public to help prevent COVID-19. This means earing a mask 😷, washing hands with clean water 🚰 and soap 🧼and staying 2 meters away from others where possible.