Just imagine that you are traveling along and doing your thing and then all of sudden you hear “Achoo!” or a loud cough that didn’t come from you, but it’s so close you feel the effects of it–ewww! So what do you do?
Nowadays, during this coronavirus pandemic, if someone coughs or sneezes on you, that actually may cause a fight since research confirms that COVID-19 can spread through droplets in the air.
So, we ask again, besides getting angry or fearful of what you may catch, what should you do?
Some medical experts have been through this and explain what should happen next.
First: Avoid Long Exposure
Fredrick Sherman, a professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, shared a few helpful tips that can help.
Sherman said that if you find yourself in a high-risk scenario in which someone sneezes or coughs near you, “Immediately exhale to avoid inhaling droplets or aerosols.”
Purse your lips to make the exhaling last longer. Turn your head entirely away from the person and begin walking.”
This method won’t definitively protect you from COVID-19, but it could reduce how much of the virus you’re exposed to if the person who coughs or sneezes happens to be contagious.
You’re more likely to get sick if you inhale higher doses of the virus, according to The Atlantic.
The amount of time you’re exposed to infected particles also matters in terms of transmission; the longer you’re around them, the more time the virus has to get into your system.
Second: Disinfect Yourself
If someone has coughed on you and the droplets touch your face or hands, wash immediately.
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
Also, if you need to and have access to a bathroom or running water, wash off your face, neck or infected area so as not to have lingering effects of whatever virus the person may or may not have.
Find out if the person has any other symptoms of the coronavirus, such as fever, fatigue, body aches, chills, or shortness of breath. If they do,
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