How long can the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) stay on the surface of an object? How to keep distance from colleagues after work? Today we have an online Q&A session on Weibo to answer your concerns, and some of the questions are excerpted below in the hope that some of your questions can be addressed as well. Do I need to wear gloves when I go out? For the general public, wearing gloves is not as beneficial as washing your hands regularly. Also, wearing gloves may give people a false sense of security, which may increase their risk of exposure to viruses – for example, touching a contaminated surface and then touching their face with a gloved hand. To be truly protective, gloves must be used once or properly washed and kept dry. It is more practical and effective for the public to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or with a water-free hand sanitizer containing alcohol. Do I need to wear a mask at the office all the time? What if I run out of masks? WHO recommends surgical masks for two groups of people: (1) people with symptoms (such as coughing and sneezing) who wear masks to protect others from the risk of infection; and (2) health care workers or those who care for patients at home or in hospitals. We understand that some people may choose to wear a mask for cultural reasons or because local policies dictate it. However, it is important to emphasize that the use of a mask alone is not guaranteed to stop infection and that other protective measures are needed as well, especially washing hands regularly, covering the nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, and keeping your distance in social situations. If you choose to wear a mask, you should learn how to wear it properly. We understand that there is a shortage of masks and that people cannot purchase them. If there are not enough masks, use them when they are most necessary, such as, for example, when riding the bus or subway, in an elevator, or in a crowded confined space. Whatever the case, our advice is that other protective measures are more important, such as washing your hands regularly, observing respiratory etiquette (covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing), and keeping your distance in social situations. How do I know if I am a close contact? Close contact” in the context of viral transmission usually means having cared for, lived or worked with, or had direct contact with the respiratory secretions or body fluids of a person with the virus. What does the discovery of a novel coronavirus in feces mean? This is not surprising, as it has been found in other coronaviruses. However, it this does not affect our recommendations for preventive and control measures. In fact, it supports our recommendation to cook food thoroughly and to wash hands frequently. It is especially important to wash hands before and after meals, after coughing or sneezing, or after changing a child’s diaper. At other times, you can also wash your hands with soap and water or a water-free hand sanitizer containing alcohol. How long can the novel coronavirus survive on surfaces such as door handles and elevator buttons? There are no data on how long the novel coronavirus stays on surfaces. However, according to our knowledge of other coronaviruses, the virus survives on surfaces for a relatively short period of time. Data from laboratory studies on SARS coronavirus and MERS coronavirus suggest that the survival time of viruses in the environment is related to a variety of factors, such as relative temperature, humidity, and surface type. WHO is continuously monitoring the available evidence on novel coronaviruses and will update such evidence as it becomes available. Can novel coronaviruses survive in the air? The best available evidence suggests that novel coronaviruses are transmitted by contact and droplets. Droplets are too heavy to float in the air and are generally spread by proximity. However, novel coronavirus is a new virus and we will continue to monitor its potential transmission routes. How can I be protected in a crowded subway? Available evidence suggests that novel coronaviruses are more likely to spread when in close contact, for example, between family members who share a room, or when in contact with/care of a patient. There is less risk of contracting the virus while riding public transportation. What we can do is to preferably stagger our travel, work from home if possible, or use other modes of transportation. If you have to use public transportation, use the following methods to reduce the risk: keep at least one meter distance between passengers; avoid touching your face; wash your hands with waterless hand sanitizer, especially after touching ticket machines, doors, handrails and other shared surfaces; cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when sneezing or coughing; do not spit; throw away tissues immediately after use and wash your hands. How do I protect myself in an elevator? There are some high-risk situations that are difficult to avoid, such as when many people are in a crowded space together. In this case, conventional protective measures should be used, such as avoiding touching the surface of objects and avoiding touching your own face. Wash your hands immediately after riding in an elevator with soap and water or a waterless hand sanitizer containing alcohol. If possible, consider taking the stairs more often. Will the outbreak improve when the weather warms up? Specific temperatures and humidity can be more conducive to the survival of viruses on the surface of objects. People also tend to gather more often in winter to bunch up. This is why other respiratory viruses, such as coronaviruses and influenza viruses, are more common in winter. However, the virus in this case is a new type of virus. We hope that the virus will gradually decrease as the weather warms up, but we can’t rely on that alone. We urgently need to work together to stop the disease epidemic. How can infants and children be protected? Parents should teach children to use the same protective measures as adults, such as washing their hands regularly, following respiratory etiquette (covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing), and teaching children to wash their hands before and after meals. Washing toys is also important. Parents and other family members and caregivers should also wash their hands before touching newborns. Can you keep exercising outdoors in an open area with few people? Like running or biking? Absolutely. And we encourage it! The best evidence suggests that the virus is spread primarily through close contact. If there are few people around and open spaces, you are relatively safe. Do you still need to disinfect your home environment if you have not had contact with people outside or in areas with severe outbreaks? Prevention is the best policy. Clean your residence regularly, especially furniture and object surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom; clean your children’s toys; open windows for ventilation; discard used paper towels; wash your hands before coming into contact with your family when you get home. All family members and guests should wash their hands regularly. When will the inflection point of this outbreak occur? We are not sure when the tipping point of the outbreak will occur. Sometimes, new outbreaks like this one can come back after they have waned. Therefore, WHO is cautious about predicting the tipping point. We predict that the number of cases will still rise in China and other countries. All of us should take personal protection for some time to come. Content source: World Health Organization