The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has issued a detailed list of dos and don’ts for the prevention and control of infection amid the current spurt in respiratory illnesses in many parts of India.
Doctors said those with symptoms like fever, sneeze and cough should follow the recommended measures.
Bengal, too, is witnessing a spike in respiratory tract infections in people across age groups but especially in children.
An infectious diseases specialist said that the viruses that were responsible for the current spate of respiratory illnesses transmit in the same mode — either as droplets or as aerosols.
Distancing, handwashing and some basic hygiene measures could help reduce the spread.
Bengal’s health department had issued an advisory on Wednesday.
The advisory had asked parents to keep children away from crowded places, not to send a sick child to school, to cover one’s face while coughing or sneezing. An adult with fever and cough should not go near children, and elderly and pregnant women, it had said.
Safety tips
Dos and don’ts for people who show symptoms
Do
■ Avoid crowded places and wear masks
■ Avoid touching eyes and nose
■ Cover mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing
■ Take plenty of fluids
■ Take paracetamol for fever and bodyache
Don’t
■ Take antibiotics or other medicines without consulting a doctor
■ Shake hands
■ Spit in public
■ Eat in groups sitting close to one another