Open AccessCriticality of physical/social distancing, handwashing, respiratory hygiene and face‐masking during the COVID‐19 pandemic and beyond
Author(s) -
Rahimi Farid,
Talebi Bezmin Abadi Amin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1742-1241
pISSN - 1368-5031
DOI - 10.1111/ijcp.13656
Subject(s) - social distance , pandemic , medicine , covid-19 , masking (illustration) , hygiene , face masks , distancing , environmental health , virology , outbreak , art , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , visual arts , pathology
Physical/social distancing, handwashing, respiratory hygiene and face‐masking have been recommended as realistic counterstrategies to control the COVID‐19 pandemic. These strategies have been critical in the fight against the present pandemic in many countries. Here we detail the background to such countermeasures, present some examples in different settings and finally emphasise that they should remain in place worldwide as a cultural and behavioural “new normal” until a vaccine or a decisive treatment for COVID‐19 is developed and made available globally.