Despite having killed thousands of people worldwide, the disease, however, has (fortunately) yet to claim a single life in Malaysia thus far.
Here are some tips that may help you weather through this outbreak:
1) Wash your hands!
Keep your hands clean by washing them with water and soap, for at least 20 seconds. While a hand sanitizer containing 60% alcohol may come in handy, washing hands is still the best bet, experts say. Wear disposable gloves if necessary, when handling things.![](https://d3avoj45mekucs.cloudfront.net/ulagam/media/2017/wash-hands-resized.jpg)
2) Clean your surroundings
Use a disinfectant to clean your surroundings, wherever you may be, such as kitchen seats, and work desks, regularly.3) Avoid crowds
Stay away from crowded places as much as possible. This especially for those with underlying health problems and the elderly, who have compromised immune systems.Avoid close contact with people who display flu-like symptoms, including coughing and sneezing.
4) Avoid touching your face
Experts have advised against touching the mouth, nose, or eyes, when one is outside and have not had the chance to wash their hands. This is to avoid the coronavirus, which causes the disease, from getting into your system.5) Cover your mouth when coughing/sneezing
Down with coughing/sneezing? Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow, or tissue, to avoid spreading your droplets all over the place. Throw the tissue immediately afterwards.Wear a mask if necessary.
![](https://d3avoj45mekucs.cloudfront.net/ulagam/media/2017/covid-sneeze-resized.jpg)
6) Stay at home if you are feeling unwell
If you are down with flu-like symptoms, stay home to avoid infecting others. Seek medical help to get your condition checked.7) Stay updated on the current situation
So you are still healthy, and have a business trip coming up? Check the news/reports on COVID-19 hotspots, for the latest updates, and stay off such locations. Try postponing the trip to a later date as the last thing you want to catch after a travel is a deadly disease.![](https://d3avoj45mekucs.cloudfront.net/ulagam/media/2017/covid19-hotspot-resized.jpg)
8) Seek professional help
If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, or difficulty breathing during or after your travel, seek help immediately. If it happens during a flight, inform the flight crew immediately, and once you have reached back home, contact a health professional.Cooperate with the authorities by telling them the locations you have visited, in case you are tested positive, so that they can perform contact tracing and stop the disease from spreading further.
9) Share responsibly
There are dozens, if not hundreds of false messages about COVID-19, that is currently floating about on social media. Such messages have the potential to trigger panic and unrest among the public, who are already feeling edgy about the outbreak. Verify a message about the disease before sharing it with your friends and family.![](https://d3avoj45mekucs.cloudfront.net/ulagam/media/2017/phone-covid-19-resized.jpg)