FEATURE: Don't touch face, Malabon mayor alerts residents

Graphics courtesy of Center for Disease Control

Why is it important these days  to avoid touching your face?

Malabon City Mayor Len Oreta tells his constituents that in order to help prevent infections, keeping the hands away from the eyes, nose, and mouth, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, can spell the difference between staying healthy, and being sick.

"Noon, kung sakaling mangati ang mata, ilong o bibig, basta-basta nalang itong hahawakan ng hindi naghuhugas ng kamay," Mayor Len says on Facebook.

"Ngayong #NewNormal, hangga't maaari ay 'wag hahawakan ang mata, ilong at bibig ngunit kung di maiwasan ay maghugas muna ng kamay," he says.

Why?

As it turned out, these mucous membranes can become a portal of entry for germs and viruses that cause respiratory infections, including COVID-19.

"Ang mata, ilong at bibig ay ilan lang sa mga nagsisilbing entry points ng virus papasok sa loob ng katawan ng isang tao. Kaya hangga't maaari, iwasan ang paghawak sa mga ito lalo na't kung hindi pa naghuhugas ng kamay dahil napakalaki ng magiging epekto nito sa ating kalusugan sa panahon ng pandemic ngayon. Mas mabuti ng manigurado upang maging ligtas," he points out.

It is estimated that people touch their face around 23 times per hour.

Respiratory infections can be caused by many different bacteria and viruses, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

When we touch our face, the germs on our hands can take up residence in our mucous membranes and cause infections, including COVID-19 infections.

"Muli, don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth and always do the Handwashing technique, mga #Malabonian!"

Health experts, on the other hand, suggest we wash our hands frequently.

Washing our hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs and viruses in most situations.

Also, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol to clean our hands is advisable whenever soap and water are not available.

We should also get a flu shot every year and encourage our family and friends to get a flu shot too.

It is also better to ask our doctors if the pneumonia vaccine is right for us.

When it is available, we should get the COVID-19 vaccine.

And as an additional reminder, we should avoid being close to people who are coughing and sneezing and always be conscious of physical distancing. (PIA NCR)

Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)