— Customers with cough, flu should not be allowed to enter the stores
— Shop owners to ensure each customer sanitizes hands before entering, leaving stores
ISLAMABAD: Health experts on Thursday advised the citizens to avoid visiting crowded places and following social distancing to lower the risk of getting infected from the coronavirus (COVID-19).
They opined that when the risk of spread of disease was very high, the only option left for its prevention was to remain at home and avoid unnecessary movement outside.
“The citizens should support the efforts of health authorities and doctors by fully implementing protective measures as per health officials’ directions to avoid the coronavirus,” Dr Wasim Khawaja of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) said.
He said the country’s health system was already overloaded as hospitals were full of patients of various diseases and new corona cases meant further load on them.
He said any negligence of the citizens might cause an increase in the corona cases. “Any carelessness will lead towards a drastic pandemic situation in the country, which should be avoided.”
Dr Khawar Sultan, a young medical expert at the Nephrology Department and head of Transplant unit PIMS, said that youngsters should also be careful, dispelling the impression that the COVID-19 was only dangerous for old age people.
He said no one was safe from the deadly virus except those who had adopted special precautionary measures. “Prevention is the only way to get back to a normal and disease free life,” he added.
Dr Khawar Sultan emphasised the spread of infection could be controlled by having minimum contact with other people and use of surgical mask at all public places, besides covering mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
When contacted, an official from the Ministry of National Health Services said the government was making all-out efforts to create awareness among the public about the corona and protective measures against the disease.
He said several guidelines addressing communities and sectors concerned had been issued with having full information on different aspects of the disease and its prevention.
He said the government had shared protective equipment guidelines to the doctors, paramedical workers and all others, who were connected with the coronavirus patients.
He said the guidelines were issued for awareness and implementation for use of the protective equipment at places concerned and at a suitable time by the health professionals and workers.
The official said the government had also asked the citizens and shopkeepers at various markers to ensure following national guidelines of social distancing to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
He said the customers with cough and flu should not be allowed to enter the stores while ensuring the shops were not crowded.
He said it was necessary for the shop owners to ensure that each customer sanitizes hands before entering or leaving the stores. It was also mandatory for having thermal guns at the entrance and allow customers only after checking their temperature.
He asked to ensure the public display of notices promoting hand hygiene and social distancing inside the stores as well as outside the stores, buildings and plaza.
He also advised ensuring queue control, maintaining the advice of six feet distance, outside of shops and other essential premises that remain open.
The store managers and staff must keep themselves updated with the latest instructions issued by the government and exercise their strict compliance.
