As more people around the world are vaccinated against COVID-19, they will return to the activities they used to do before authorities put pandemic restrictions in their country.
Many of us were eager to meet friends and family in person, have dinner, attend events, and travel again. Although restrictions may be lowered in some areas or for those who have received their COVID-19 vaccinations, adhering to strict hygiene practices remains important.
Vaccination missions help, but "we are still in a pandemic," emphasized Dr. Emperor. "The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which includes a constant stream of new variants, continues to circulate around the world, causing [...] new cases of COVID-19. "
"Certain parties du monde souffrent encore des conséquences mortelles d'épidémies massivs, et nous devrions [être conscients] des façons dont nous, en tant qu'individus, pouvons" arrêter the spread "de auter virus et" d'us he said.
Though vaccines
These are some of the reasons why caution in navigating a world with fewer restrictions will help ensure that those regulations are relaxed further.
"[A] large part of the population is still not fully vaccinated and we continue to see new COVID-19 cases and deaths every day," said Dr. Emperor.
"And although more and more people are being vaccinated, a small percentage of people may not receive the vaccine because of 'contraindications', and some high-risk immunocompromised patients may not receive full protection from vaccines."
Although currently available vaccines are surprisingly effective overall, even in healthy populations, there is still a small percentage of "advanced infection" cases where fully vaccinated individuals can develop COVID-19. For all of these reasons, it is important that we all continue to use healthy hygiene practices to stop the spread. "
- Dr. Scott Kaiser
Aside from the threat of SARS-CoV-2 infection, people should keep in mind that other pathogens are at large, Dr. Kaiser and Dr. Beaulieu.
Since the pandemic began, headlines around the world have of course focused on the effects of the new coronavirus. In this context, it is easy to forget that local outbreaks of infectious diseases were to be expected even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is important to adhere to strict hygiene practices even if the pandemic restrictions are relaxed, because there are many other viruses and germs that humans can spread and which can cause terrible damage. Seasonal flu [or] flu, for example, kills tens of thousands of Americans every year, "noted Dr. Emperor.
"Many of the rigorous hygiene practices that were prevalent during the pandemic are based on principles that healthcare professionals have traditionally used to contain the spread of germs," said Dr. Beaulieu.
"The pandemic has drawn our attention to some of the pre-existing hygiene deficiencies and how remedying some of these deficiencies can help improve overall public health over the long term," he added.
"Hygiene practices such as hand washing, proper cleaning and regular disinfection are [important elements] of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the spread of germs such as influenza, norovirus and MRSA [which] can spread to any" surfaces that we all share, and that can lead to epidemics, shut down schools and offices, and overwhelm our health systems, even after the pandemic is over. "
- Dr. Eva Beaulieu
Dr. Beaulieu also noted that the spread of various infectious diseases has decreased significantly over the course of 2020, thanks to a combination of stringent public health measures. In fact, the cumulative hospitalization rate for influenza, according to the CDC, was around
As a reference, according to the CDC, this is roughly "one-tenth the rate in the 2011-12 season".
So what should we do in the future, even as restrictions wear off, to protect ourselves and others?
1. Keep your hands clean
Rule number one, according to Dr. Kaiser to keep your hands healthy by washing your hands regularly and properly .
"Our hands are still one of the main means of spreading disease," explains Dr. Emperor. "It is estimated that poor hand hygiene is responsible for the spread of more than 80% of communicable diseases. And good hand hygiene will continue to be one of the most accessible, effective, and essential tools to stop the spread of disease and prevent the loss of life. "
For the correct and effective washing of hands, he recommended doing this with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at a time. People should wash their hands "especially after being in a public place or after coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose," he added.
Other cases where hand washing is important, he explained, are:
- before eating or preparing food
- before you touch the face
- After using the toilet
- after handling a mask
- after changing the diaper
- after caring for a sick person
- after touching animals
In situations where hand washing is not an option, people should try cleaning their hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, added Dr. Emperor added.
2. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough
Anyone who coughs or sneezes should always make sure to cover their nose and mouth, emphasized Dr. Emperor.
"Cover yourself by coughing or sneezing into the crook of your elbow or using a tissue. Don't spit, throw away the handkerchief and now wash your hands [as soon as possible] as above [advised], "he urged.
"If you cough or sneeze while wearing a mask, that's fine ... just put on a new, clean mask and wash your hands [asap]," he said.
3. Disinfect objects and surfaces
In addition, Dr. Beaulieu states that the disinfection of surfaces and objects is of the utmost importance to prevent the spread of pathogens.
"It is important to remain vigilant with the routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces and high-traffic areas to help us proactively control highly transmissible pathogens such as influenza, norovirus and the common cold," said Dr. Beaulieu. .
"In the house," he noted, "these are surfaces such as doorknobs, window latches, light switches, table tops, countertops, sinks, wash basins, toilets and more, faucet handles. In public spaces, these are surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, keyboards, telephones, worktops, sinks and toilets.
He also stated that the cleaning process is only part of properly disinfecting surfaces.
"Cleaning removes dust, grime, and grime from a surface by scrubbing, washing, and rinsing. It is essential to general hygiene and a useful first step in maximizing the effectiveness of disinfectants and disinfectants. It is important to remember that cleaning products alone are not designed to kill germs, "said Dr. Beaulieu.
To ensure that items and surfaces are completely free of pathogens, it is imperative to go further and fully disinfect them.
"Disinfection kills or inactivates both bacteria and viruses listed on the product label (such as influenza and rhinovirus) on hard, non-porous surfaces," explained Dr. Beaulieu.
Such products, he added, "kill a wide variety of microorganisms and are designed for high-level decontamination of areas most likely to be contaminated and spread disease to others."
Which surfaces and areas are most important to thoroughly disinfect? According to Dr. Beaulieu, the bathroom and the kitchen are the two places that need the most attention.
"I recommend specifically disinfecting bathroom and kitchen surfaces, as germs can land on surrounding surfaces or spread from raw food sources," he told us.
"In public spaces such as schools, offices, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and wherever many people share rooms, the routine disinfection of high-contact surfaces is an important part of a holistic strategy to prevent the spread of germs," he added added.
4. Stay away from work or school if you are not comfortable.
Finally, Dr. Kaiser points out that one aspect of our lives with which we will have to act differently in the future is the temptation to be present . It is the practice of going to work or school even when you are not feeling well.
People may engage in presenterism because they are afraid of losing their job, losing job opportunities, not being eligible for paid sick leave, or fear of the impact that absence will have on their lives.
However, showing up to work or school when you have a contagious disease puts others at risk of contracting the virus that caused them.
Because of this, "[and] even if pandemic restrictions are relaxed, people need to remain vigilant and monitor their health, watch for symptoms, and take [their] temperature when they feel sick," said Dr. Emperor.
"Before the pandemic, too many people were unaware of these signs and symptoms and went to work, school, or other public places even when they were unwell to unnecessarily spread the disease."
"We need a real change in practices and culture in this regard, in order to better protect the health of individuals and the general public," he said.
"If you're sick, stay home and put systems and standards in place that get it right - it's the right thing! And at the same time, even if the orders disappear, we [don't] have to drop our masks forever. When you or someone you know is not doing well, wearing masks, keeping your distance and avoiding certain situations are still very effective measures to contain the spread of the disease, "warned Dr. Emperor.
"In some cultures it is completely 'normal' and maybe even expected that masks be worn in public when someone shows symptoms of a cold or allergy, why not make this our culture too?" He added.
Overall, the most important thing is not to see the COVID-19 pandemic as a "one-size-fits-all" public health crisis. This isn't the first time the world has faced a pandemic, and it probably won't be the last. Therefore, in the interests of the continued safety of all, we must try to remain well informed and accountable.
"Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been described as a 'centenary event', some experts predict that this may not be true for a long time," said Dr. Emperor.
"Research predicts that the severity and frequency of pandemics will increase in the face of several underlying global trends, such as climate change, that facilitate the transmission of viruses between species (i.e., new viruses that are transmitted from animals to humans) and increase the likelihood of global spread. "
"Good hygiene, especially good hand washing practices, is one of the most accessible, effective and essential tools to stop the spread and prevent loss of life."
- Dr. Scott Kaiser
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