Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering

New Coronavirus: ten basic protective measures
The Italian National Institute of Health and Ministry of Health have developed specific guidelines consisting in ten basic protective measures against the new coronavirus and clarifications on circulating fake news on new Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus.
You can read below the ten indications to protect yourself and others from getting the new coronavirus:

1. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are not visibly dirty

2. Maintain at least 1 metre distance between yourself and other people, particularly those who are coughing, sneezing and have a fever.

3. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. Hands touch many surfaces which can be contaminated with the virus. If you touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your contaminated hands, you can transfer the virus from the surface to yourself.

4. Practice respiratory hygiene: when coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – discard tissue immediately into a closed bin and clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

5. Do not take antibiotics or antivirals if not properly prescribed by doctors. Antibiotics and antivirals do not work against viruses, only bacteria. The new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment.

6. Clean surfaces with alcohol-based and chlorine-based detergents. 

7. Wear a mask only if you are not healthy or you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing. Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly. Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask. Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks. To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

8. Products made in China and packages from China are not dangerous. From previous analysis, we know coronaviruses do not survive long on objects, such as letters or packages.

9. Call 112 if you have fever or you are coughing and you think to have been infected

10. At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus. However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets. This protects you against various common bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.

Please note that this advice for public has been translated for internal use. For any medical reference please refer to ISS (https://www.iss.it/), Ministry of Health (http://www.salute.gov.it/portale/home.html), to the public utility telephone number 1500 and to the World Health Organization website https://www.who.int/