Public Health - The Peninsula...2020/04/02 · (Abu Baker, Al Rayan, WAJ or Al Waab health...

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT THURSDAY 2 APRIL 2020

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PHCC announces precautionary

measures against coronavirus

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMohammed Salim Mohamed

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTOR Fazeena Saleem

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDr. Khalid Mubarak Al-Shafi

SUPPLEMENT COORDINATORAhmed Eltigani Idris

DESIGNAbraham Augusthy

Al-Ahli Hospital forms COVID-19 taskforce to implement strategic measures

FAZEENA SALEEM THE PENINSULA

While many countries across the globe see COVID-19 cases over-whelming for healthcare

systems, Qatar is at the forefront flat-tening the curve through different measures. As part of measures taken to control the spread of the virus in the community, like other countries in the world, competent authorities in Qatar have asked the public to stay at home, keep social distancing and maintain personal hand hygiene. Around the world governments are almost taking similar measures to ensure safety of people enforcing social distancing.

But Qatar’s actions to curb the spread of COVID-19 are beyond, testing, quarantine, travel limitations, and social distancing. Qatar is strictly enforcing laws. Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued Law No. 9 of 2020 amending some of the provisions of the Decree Law No. 17 of 1990 on the prevention of infec-tious diseases, on March 26.

On the same day, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded the efforts made by Qatar "to implement a comprehensive approach to control COVID-19".

In a tweet, Dr Ghebreyesus said he had a "good call" with the Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari. He congratulated her for H H the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's leadership to contain the novel

coronavirus and the efforts made to implement a comprehensive approach to suppress and control COVID-19.

Only on March 16 did the WHO call on nations to test every suspected case of the coronavirus pandemic to contain its spread. But having checked more than 22,300 people for coronavirus as of Tuesday, Qatar has one of the highest COVID-19 testing rates in the world, the Ministry of Public Health has said. Qatar’s proactive testing system is an achievement few coun-tries can claim and is in contrast to the situation in several countries.

Amid the healthcare sector’s ongoing measures to combat COVID-19 in Qatar, H E Dr. Al Kuwari has said

that Qatar has appro-priately prioritized diagnostic testing and supported the labo-ratory response network to ensure the ability to test for potential cases of COVID-19, which is allowing for the better protection of the population.

Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Department of Labo-ratory Medicine and Pathology (DLMP) is an essential part of Qatar’s COVID-19 preparedness and response plan.

According to H E Dr, Al Kuwari, Qatar is committed to being open and transparent throughout the testing process, and that data is now regularly

published on the website of the Min-istry of Public Health.

The Minister has said that local testing capacity is an important step in speeding up the testing process so that the information needed to respond quickly and efficiently is available. Her Excellency said HMC’s DLMP is an essential part of Qatar’s COVID-19 pre-paredness and response plan.

Also the team at the Surveillance Unit, based at the Ministry of Public Health, has been continuously moni-toring the epidemiological situation since the outbreak of COVID-19 in China. The unit is working to proac-tively identify people in Qatar who may have been in contact with confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Once identified, these people are placed under quarantine – to prevent possible further spread – and tested to determine their status, the Ministry of Public Health has said.

During the treatment process, the infected persons with COVID-19 are divided into three groups. The first group is for cases with mild or no symptoms and they are isolated so that the virus does not spread to other indi-viduals and these are monitored by the medical and nursing staff until the recovery phase is complete, where periodic laboratory tests are performed and often after two to three weeks, the tests turn negative.

The second group is for severe cases, which often have inflammation of the lower respiratory tract (lungs) and are isolated and hospitalized and given a set of drugs to reduce the severity of inflammation.

The third group is for those who need intensive care, and they will be given a larger set of drugs and put on a ventilator for several days to help

their immune system to overcome the virus, and then gradual improvement will be noticed.

Dr Abdullatif Al Khal, co-chair of the National Epidemic Preparation Committee, said that most of the diag-nosed cases are still subject to isolation and treatment. The majority of cases are between 20s and 40s and some people are in intensive care.

Dr Al Khal has confirmed that there is no scientific evidence that taking

medications used in hospitals prevents infection with the virus, advising people to avoid such drugs because of their side effects.

Dr Al Khal expressed concern over the potential increase of cases who need intensive care, especially those who suffer from diabetes, heart, kidney, and lung diseases, and those who take immunosuppressive drugs and the elderly, stressing the need to protect this group and advised them to stay at home.

He has also emphasized that there is no relation between infection with the virus and age, as the disease may be severe for youth as well.

In regard with the signs of recovery, Dr Al Khal explained that for those with severe symptoms, the signs of recovery are low temperature, less coughing, easier to breathe, and a laboratory examination of respiratory secretions has shifted from positive to negative

The Ministry of Public Health and other authorities continued to stress the importance of keeping social dis-tancing and take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Qatar has played its full role in pro-viding all conditions, taking all deci-sions, applying all procedures, and publishing all instructions to reduce gatherings and limit the spread of the disease.

Qatar at the forefront

to curb the spread of COVID-19

Qatar has appropriately prioritized diagnostic testing and supported the laboratory response networkto ensure the ability to test for potential cases of COVID-19, which is allowing for the better protection of the population.

H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al KuwariMinister of Public Health

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THURSDAY 2 APRIL 2020

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The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) announced a number of pre-c a u t i o n a r y measures against

the spread of the novel corona-virus (COVID-19).

The corporation said in a statement two weeks back that they decided to cancel all appointments at health centers, with the exception of Healthy Child Clinic, vaccination clinics, and X-rays and ultrasound.

Appointments will be rescheduled at a later date, according to the statement. The Corporation said that urgent care services will be working as usual during that time.

PHCC also announced that as a precautionary measure, it closed Omar Bin Al Khattab Health Center and tested the employees and deep clean the health center, in order to ensure the safety of all visitors. Registered patients were advised to attend Airport or Umm Ghuwailina health centers.

The Primary Health Care Corporation also said it dedi-cated Muaither Health Center for the testing and detection of COVID-19 cases from March 12, 2020. “For walk-in appoint-ments please visit nearby HCs (Abu Baker, Al Rayan, WAJ or Al Waab health centers.” a @PHC-Cqatar tweet said.

All appointments for non-communicable diseases, pregnant mothers and babies, and the ultrasound imaging will be rescheduled and is trans-ferred to the Wajba Health Center. All non-essential clinics will be rescheduled to another date as soon as possible, the PHCC added.

In light of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has activated a set of remote access channels to healthcare services at Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) and HMC

in collaboration with TASMU Smart Qatar, MoTC, Hukoomi and Qatar Post along with notable digital solution providers.

The new virtual healthcare services have been developed to ensure the safety of eve-ryone by allowing patients to schedule an appointment with healthcare by dialing 16000 to have a virtual consultation with their healthcare provider, receiving medical advice, sick leave and get their medicine delivered to their doorstep. 16000 will also continue to provide a 24/7 call centre service for all enquiries in relation to the COVID-19.

The nationwide new remote healthcare service initiative primarily targets three medical instances:

VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS:

Patients requiring PHCC services can dial 16000 and choose the PHCC option, they will then be routed to a PHCC Community Call Center offering remote telephone and video consulta-tions for patients requiring both routine and pri-ority care. The community call centre will be operating 7 days a week from 7am to 11pm.

Clients accessing this service can expect a video or telephone consultation with a physician that will provide them with advice, diagnosis and offer prescriptions. In addition, the service will assess those patients with routine condi-tions providing guidance.

HMC has launched an innovative Urgent Consultation Service, enabling patients with non-life threatening conditions to speak to a spe-cialist physician over the phone. Patients can dial 16000 and will then be routed to an HMC coordinator who will triage their case before transferring them to a specialist. This service will cover 11 specialties for urgent care needs only – urology, cardiology, orthopedics, general medicine, general surgery, dermatology, ENT,

OBGYN, dental and pediatrics. The specialists will also be able to check and book/rebook appointments if needed. These services are available to all registered PHCC and HMC patients with Health Cards.

HMC’s Department of Geriatrics has also launched a virtual clinic for patients enabling elderly patients to receive consultations in the comfort of their own home. This service has been launched to protect elderly residents in Qatar who have been advised by MoPH to stay at home unless absolutely necessary.

ISSUING SICK LEAVE CERTIFICATES REMOTELY:

If patients are given care through a video or telephone consultation with their healthcare pro-vider, and require a sick leave certificate, they will be issued sick leave electronically through the e-Jaza system, the patient can then download the sick leave certificate through this link: https://www.qchp.org.qa/en/Pages/ValidateEJaza.aspx available on the MOPH website, using QID/HC Number.

MEDICATION REFILL DELIVERY TO PATIENTS HOME:

HMC and PHCC are working in partnership with Q-Post to have medications delivered to your home to ensure you can receive your required medications without having to attend the health centers or clinics. This started with a segment of patients on March 25 and be will rolled out in phases to the rest of the population accordingly.

Call centers Nesmaak at 16060 and Hayak at 107 will remain as is for routine calls but will add a capability to route calls that require urgent attention to 16000

The second phase of the remote access to the new healthcare mechanism is to provide access via a chatbot through the MoPH, PHCC or Hukoomi websites. Enhancing remote access to healthcare at the time of COVID-19 crisis will help curb the rapid spread of the disease. MoPH, MOTC, MoPH and TASMU in collaboration with key stakeholders will continue providing quality medical care to the people of Qatar in a timely and accurate manner.

PHCC announces precautionary measures against coronavirusPatients requiring PHCC services can dial 16000 and choose the PHCC option, they will then be routed to a PHCC Community Call Center offering remote telephone and video consultations for patients requiring both routine and priority care. The call centre will be operating 7 days a week from 7am to 11pm.

Qatar launches new remote healthcare services

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FAZEENA SALEEM

THE PENINSULA

As the world struggles today to meet the challenges arising out of the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19),

Al-Ahli Hospital has taken several stra-tegical measures to ensure the safety of its guests and staff. Several precau-tionary measures complying with the guidelines of the World Health Organ-isation (WHO) and Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) are in place to curb the spread of the COVID 19 virus in the community.

As part of the Al-Ahli Hospital’s heightened infection control measures, in response to limit the spread of COVID-19, a committee has been formed to implement strategical measures.

A stricter visitor restrictions are in place at the hospital. Before entering the clinical areas, all guests/caregivers and staff will undergo temperature screening and complete a declaration

form on their current health status, recent travel and recent contact with COVID-19 patients.

“At Al-Ahli Hospital we strictly follow the guidelines of WHO and MoPH to curb the spread of COVID-19. All measures are in place to protect the guests and our staff in every pos-sible way. We have implemented some strategies to respond to the crisis and we have been quite rapid in terms implementing,” said Dr. Abdulazim Abdul Wahab Hussain, Medical Director of Al-Ahli Hospital.

“This is contributing to prevent the disease, limit its spread and identify those who might show some of its symptoms quickly and effectively.

“From the very beginning of the spread of the COVID 19, we have establish an initial screening, so that eve-ryone come in to the hospital is screened on entry, using WHO criteria. Also ques-tions asked to identify risk factors fever, signs and symptoms of COVID-19, travel history and contact with the suspected cases. Based on those assessments we

fast tract the guests to the relevant department,” he added.

He also said that Al-Ahli Hospital has designated an area on the third floor of the hospital to care people with respiratory illnesses as they are in a risk of developing COVID-19. “If we are in doubt about any patient we call the Communicable Disease Centre for further directions,” said Dr Hussain.

In addition he said that Al-Ahli Hospital has taken other preventive measures such as cancelling meetings, maintaining social distance, taking measure to keep the hospital premises infection free and limiting the cafe-teria service to take away only.

As part of its efforts Al-Ahli Hos-pital has formed a COVID-19 taskforce compromising experts from across the entire hospital. “From the first day of the announcement of the disease, the hospital immediately created a task force to handle all measures related to the COVID-19 disease. We imple-mented the appropriate measures to protect our staff and guests and

prevent the disease from spreading around the hospital, we trained our staff to diagnose the symptoms of the disease and we implemented the nec-essary managerial measures to keep the hospital running smoothly. The taskforce held daily meetings to stay up to date with the developments of the disease both in Qatar and around the world, and to ensure that our measures are both safe and effective in keeping everyone safe while con-tinuing to operate all aspects of the hospital.” said Dr Khalid Al-Fakhri, head of the COVID-19 task force com-mittee in Al-Ahli hospital.

He also said that the hospital has taken the necessary steps to ensure that all essential medical supplies are available. “ We are working very closely with our suppliers to obtain all the necessary medical supplies, PPE & equipments that is needed at the moment and what we anticipate the hospital will need in the future,” said Dr Al-Fakhri.

Dr Al-Fakhri, who is the Clinical

Director and Consultant Surgeon at the Emergency Department at Al-Ahli Hospital, emphasised that the staff has been trained well and educated on how to deal with the present situation and handle guests. “In the ER we immediately implemented the regu-lations under the guidelines of the Communicable Disease Center and the MoPH for fast track triaging at all entrances of the hospital, we’ve imple-mented crowd regulation measures that apply to both guests and our staff, who are checked daily. Any suspected case will be taken to the ER and all these areas are well insulated from the rest of the hospital,” he said

“If we find any guests showing symptoms of COVID-19, first we keep the guest in isolation at a negative pressure room. Then we contact the CDC and get their recommendation on whether we should transfer the patient to the CDC or any of the hos-pitals across Hamad Medical Corpo-ration. If the CDC decides the person is not a suspected case, we treat the guest at the hospital” he said.

Dr Al-Fakhri also highlighted that certain non-emergency surgeries have been postponed at Al-Ahli Hospital in-line with the directives given by the MoPH. Based on available evidence, children do not appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than adults. While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19, adults make up most of the known cases to date.

Dr Mohammad Samer Hamwy, Pedi-atric consultant at Al-Ahli Hospital said, “We have limited knowledge about COVID-19, because it is a new virus. All we know is what we read in media and the literature we get from MoPH and

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THURSDAY 2 APRIL 2020 THURSDAY 2 APRIL 2020

Claudine El Araybi, Director of Nursing, at Al-Ahli Hospital

David T. Miller, Director Safety and Quality at Ahli Hospital

Dr Mohammad Samer Hamwy, Pediatric consultant at Al-Ahli Hospital

Dr Khalid Al-Fakri, Head of ER & COVID-19 Task Force Committee at Al-Ahli Hospital

Dr. Abdulazim Abdul Wahab Hussain, Medical Director of Al-Ahli Hospital.

Dr Mazen Bishtawi, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist

Head of Department at Al-Ahli Hospital

Al-Ahli Hospital forms COVID-19 taskforce to implement strategic measures and limit the spread of pandemic

As part of the Al-Ahli Hospital’s heightened infection control measures and in response to limit the spread of COVID-19, a committee has been formed to implement strategical measures.

WHO. But we have good idea of what’s going on.”

“The percentage of kids getting sick is much lesser than the adults, and the percentage of kids getting sick and need to go to intensive care is much less, and the death of children below the age of ten is almost zero,” he added.

Dr Hamwy also advice parents to keep children indoors, especially if they live in compounds and avoid taking children to hypermarkets. “When children go out and play they tend to touch many things and carry the virus. They might not show any

symptoms of COVID-19 but might have the infection. They can be carry the virus and spread to others,” he said.

Pregnant women experience changes in their bodies that may increase their risk of some infections. But it is not cur-rently known if pregnant women have a greater chance of getting sick from

COVID-19 than the general public nor whether they are more likely to have serious illness as a result.

“COVID-19 is a new disease, and every day the guidelines keep changing,” said Dr Mazen Bishtawi, Consultant

Obstetrician and Gynecologist Head of Department at Al-Ahli Hospital.

“Pregnant women should be con-sidered as vulnerable like elderly. If a pregnant woman get respiratory infection in the last three months of the pregnancy, it can cause them difficulties.

“With viruses from the same family as COVID-19, and other viral respiratory infections, such as influenza, women have had a higher risk of developing severe illness. It is always important for pregnant women to protect themselves from ill-nesses,” he said

Dr Bishtawi also said that although until now there is no evidence that COVID-19 would make a direct impact on the child, there is a possibility of a premature delivery of the baby in case the pregnant mother gets infected with the virus.

Speaking about the antenatal clinics, he said that pregnant women seeking services at the Al-Ahli Hospital are advised to follow their appointments.

“Pregnant women need to get the essential consultations and scanning done. The healthcare provider of each pregnant women will decide how to conduct the clinics. At Al-Ahli Hospital we encourage pregnant women to attend their antenatal clinic appointments, but we strongly advice to follow all preventive measures,” Dr Bishtawi.

He also said that though elective sur-geries have been stopped at private hos-pitals, in case of pregnant women it will be considered as exceptional. “You can help stop the spread of COVID-19 by cov-ering your cough (using your elbow is a

good technique), avoid people who are sick and clean your hands often using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer,” said Dr Bishtawi.

Al-Ahli Hospital has also ensured that their staff are trained, equipped and capable of practices needed to, prevent the spread of respiratory diseases including COVID-19 within the facility and promptly identify and isolate patients with possible COVID-19 and inform the correct facility staff and

public health authorities.David T. Miller, Director Safety and

Quality at Ahli Hospital said, “We are very confident of having adequate support for the demand to provide safe care for the guests and give a safe environment for the staff.”

“Education and awareness among the staff is very important, especially in this situation where there is so much infor-mation and misinformation. We ensure to provide credible information for the staff. It is important to focus on bodies providing information and guidance, for us the WHO and MoPH are the primary source of good quality appropriate infor-mation,” said Miller.

Healthcare personnel are on the front lines of caring for patients with confirmed or possible infection with COVID-19 and therefore have an increased risk of exposure to this virus.

“As frontlines of healthcare we have taken special attention to nurses. We have implemented restricted policies and guidelines on how to deal with out-patients and in patients. We educate the nurses and do close monitoring of their work and activities to ensure that they are safe,” said Claudine El Araybi, Director of Nursing, at Al-Ahli Hospital.

“We update the nurses on everything for example the method of giving CPR in case of emergency has changed with the spread of COVID 19. We keep the nurses informed on every new information and preventive practice,” she added.

She also emphasized that adequate mental support is given to the staff as eve-ryone is under a panic situation.

There’s currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19.

You can protect yourself and help prevent spreading the virus to others if you: Do wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub, Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze, Avoid close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people who are unwell, Stay home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel unwell and Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean.

If we find any guest showing symptoms of COVID-19, first we keep the guest in isolation at a negative pressure room. Then we contact the CDC and decide if we need to transfer to the CDC or to any other hospital across Hamad Medical Corporation. If the CDC decides the person is not a suspected case, we treat the person at the hospital.”

You can help stop the spread of COVID-19 by covering your cough (using your elbow is a good technique), avoid people who are sick and clean your hands often using soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

“As frontlines of healthcare we have taken special attention to nurses. We have implemented restricted policies and guidelines on how to deal with out-patients and in-patients.”

PICS: BAHER AMIN/THE PENINSULA

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Parents and children are facing major life disruptions with the outbreak of COVID-19. School closures, social distancing, it’s a lot to take in and it’s difficult for everyone in the family. UNICEF sat down with expert ado-

lescent psychologist, best-selling author, monthly New York Times columnist and mother of two Dr. Lisa Damour to learn more about how fam-ilies can support each other and make the most of this new (temporary) normal.

UNICEF: How can teenagers and parents take care of their mental health during the coronavirus disease outbreak?

Dr. Damour: The first thing that parents can do is actually to normalize the fact that they [teen-agers] are feeling anxious. Many teenagers have the misunderstanding that anxiety is always a sign of mental illness when in fact, psychologists have long recognized that anxiety is a normal and healthy function that alerts us to threats and helps us take measures to protect ourselves.

So it’s very helpful for teenagers if you say, “You’re having the right reaction. Some anxiety right now makes sense, you’re supposed to feel that way. And that anxiety is going to help you make the decisions that you need to be making right now.” Practicing social distancing, washing your hands often and not touching your face — your anxiety will help you do what needs to be done right now, so that you can feel better. So that’s one thing we can do.

Another thing we can do is actually help them look outward. Say to them, “Listen, I know you’re feeling really anxious, but part of why we’re asking you to do all these things — to wash your face, to stay close to home — is that that’s also how we take care of members of our community. We think about the people around us.”

And then give them further things to do that may be of help: Perhaps dropping off food to people in need or going shopping for them or fig-uring out what areas of our community need support and doing things to support the people around them while maintaining social distance. Finding ways to care for others will help young people feel better themselves.

The third thing to help with anxiety is to help young people find distractions. What psycholo-gists know is that when we are under chronically difficult conditions — and this is certainly a chron-ically difficult condition that’s going to go on for a while — it’s very helpful to divide the problem into two categories: things I can do something about, and then things I can do nothing about.

Researchers have found that finding positive distractions can help us deal with that second category: We do our homework, we watch our favourite movies, we get in bed with a novel. That is a very appropriate strategy right now. There’s probably a lot to be said for talking about coro-navirus and anxiety as a way to seek relief, and there is also a lot to be said about not talking about it as a way to seek relief. Helping kids find that right balance will make a big difference.

UNICEF: On distractions, it’s going to be

tempting for a lot of teenagers to bury them-selves in screens right now. How can parents and teenagers best handle that?

Dr. Damour: I would be very up front with a teenager and say, “Okay, you and I both know you’ve got a lot of time on your hands, but you and I both know that it’s not going to be a good idea to have unfettered access to screens and/or social media. That’s not healthy, that’s not smart and it may amplify your anxiety. We really don’t think you having a social media free-for-all is a good idea under any condition.

So the fact that you’re not in school and your time isn’t being taken up by classes doesn’t nec-essarily mean that all of that time should be replaced with social media.” But I think you just say that in a very up-front way which acknowl-edges that, naturally, there’s no way that the time spent in school will be entirely replaced with being online. And then ask the teenager, “How should we handle this? What should our plans be? What do you propose in this new normal or new short-term normal. Your time is no longer structured in the ways you’re accustomed to, come up with a structure and show me the structure that you have in mind, and then we can think it through together.”

UNICEF: Is structure key to maintaining a

sense of normalcy?Dr. Damour: Kids need structure. Full stop.

And what we’re all having to do, very quickly, is invent entirely new structures to get every one of us through our days. And so I would strongly recommend that parents make sure that there’s a schedule for the day, that there’s a plan for how time will be spent — and that can include playtime where kids can get on their phones and connect with their friends, which of course they’re going to want to do. But it also should have technology-free time like time set aside to help with making dinner. We need to think about what we value and we need to build a structure that reflects that, and it will be a great relief to our kids to have a

sense of a predictable day and a sense of when they’re supposed to be working and when they get to play. I would say for kids under the age of 10 or 11, the parent should come up with a structure and then negotiate from there with their child and see if there’s any feedback that makes good sense.

UNICEF: What tips would you give parents who are building a structure for younger children?

Dr. Damour: I think we have to recognize that younger kids actually do sit in class for periods of the day and tolerate the interruptions and annoyances of a lot of kids around them, and they won’t have to tolerate those when they’re at home. Which is to say that I don’t think we should underestimate their ability to work in a focused way from home.

That said, every family knows their child best and it may be ideal, depending on who is super-vising them, to structure their day so that all of those things that need to get done get done before anything else happens: All of their schoolwork, all of their chores, all of their have-to-do activ-ities versus get-to-do activities.

For some families, doing that at the start of the day will work best for kids. Other families may find that it works well to start the day a little bit later, to sleep in, to enjoy a longer breakfast together, and then get rolling at 10 or 11 in the morning. Every family gets to do it their own way.

I also want to add something that some people may be reluctant to voice: We’re stuck with this, so to the degree you can enjoy it — you should. If this means you’re making pancakes as a family for breakfast and that is something that was never a possibility on a normal school day and that’s some-thing that makes everybody happy, enjoy that.

Here’s the bottom line: Kids need predicta-bility — as much predictability as you can offer in a situation like this. So don’t wake up every day and figure out the schedule. Try a schedule, or maybe try a provisional one for a week as a family and then review it at the end of the week.

UNICEF: How important is a parent’s own behaviour in a time of crisis?

Dr. Damour: Parents, of course, are anxious too and our kids know us better than we know

ourselves. They will take emotional cues from us. I would ask parents to do what they can to manage their anxiety on their own time – to not overshare their fears with their children.

That may mean containing emotions, which may be hard for parents at times especially if they’re feeling those emotions pretty intensely.

I would want for parents to find an outlet for their anxiety that’s not their children. We should remember that they are the passengers in this and we are driving the car. And so even if we’re feeling anxious, which of course we will be, we can’t let that get in the way of them feeling like safe passengers in our car.

UNICEF: Should parents ask their children

how they’re feeling on a regular basis or does that bring up more feelings of anxiety?

Dr. Damour: I think it depends on the kid. Some kids really keep to themselves and so it may be valuable for a parent to say, “How are you doing?” or “What are you hearing?” Other kids are going to be talking and talking and talking about it. The way we want to approach these things is to find a good balance between expression and containment. You want some expression and feeling, especially at a time when we should expect kids to have some pretty intense feelings, but you also want those emotions to feel contained. So if your kid is high on expression, you’re going to work on containment, if your kid is high on containment you’re going to help them with a little bit of expression.

UNICEF: How can parents support their children who are experiencing disappointment due to cancelled events and activities?

Dr. Damour: Let them be sad and don’t try to guilt them out of it. Don’t say, “Other people have this worse than you.” Now your kid feels sad and guilty! That doesn’t make it better. Say to them, “You are having the right reaction. This really stinks. You’re not going to get to be with your friends. You’re not going to get to spend spring on college campus. You’re not going to get to go to this convention that you spent six months preparing for.” In the scope of an adolescent’s life these are major losses.

And the other thing adults have to remember is we’ve never seen anything like this, and we’ve been around for a long time. They’ve never seen anything like this and they’re much younger. The disruption of four months in the life of a 14-year-old is a very great percentage of their time they remember being alive. This is bigger for them than it is for us.

A year in a teenager’s life is like seven years in an adult’s life. So, we have to have really high empathy for how big these losses feel. This is their one high school graduation for their whole life, this was their one sophomore spring on campus for their whole life. These are large-scale losses. Even if they’re not catastrophic, they’re really upsetting and rightly so to teenagers.

So I would ask parents to expect and nor-malize that teenagers are very sad and very frus-trated about the losses they are mourning and all kids are mourning losses right now. When it comes to having a painful feeling, the only way out is through. When we allow people to feel sad, they usually feel better faster.

So, empathy, empathy, support, support. Our kids deserve it. Our job as adults is to provide it. They’re having the right reaction. This is not what any of us would want.

UNICEF: What recommendations do you

have for teenagers who are feeling lonely and disconnected from friends and activities?

Dr. Damour: This is where we now may appre-ciate social media in a whole new way! While adults can have such a jaundiced view of adolescents and social media, teenagers want to be with their friends. Under social distancing conditions: They can be with their friends! Further, I would never underes-timate the creativity of teenagers. My hunch is that they will find ways to play with one another online. And so I would not hold a dim view of all social media right now. I would just make sure that it’s not a wall-to-wall experience for kids because that’s not good for anybody.

UNICEF: What are some of the outlets teen-agers can use to work through these difficult feelings and take care of their mental health?

Dr. Damour: I think every kid is going to do this in a different way. Some kids are going to want to talk to their friends as a way to feel con-nected in a time when they can’t be together in person. Some kids are going to want to find ways to get food to food banks. I would just say know your kid, take your cues from your teenager, and really think a lot about balancing talking about feelings with finding distractions and allow dis-tractions when kids need a relief from feeling very upset.

UNICEF: How can parents make the most of the situation? If you’re able to be with your kids, how can you have fun together while you’re stuck at home?

Dr. Damour: In our house — I have two daughters — we’ve decided that we are going to have a dinner team every night. We’re going to create a schedule of who’s in charge of dinner and sometimes it’ll be me and my spouse and sometimes it’ll be me and one of my daughters. We’ll mix it up in pairs, and my older daughter is a teen and my younger daughter is elementary-school age, so there will be nights where the two girls are in charge of things. And so, we rotate who is in charge of making dinner for the family. We often don’t get the time to make dinner as a family. We don’t usually have the time in the day to enjoy cooking together, so we’re doing that.

I have been making a list of all of the things I want to do with myself: The books I want to read and the things that I’ve been meaning to do — I’ve been meaning to teach my younger daughter how to knit and she’s been asking, so if she’s still interested we’ll be knitting! We’re thinking about having a movie night every three or four nights and we were thinking that the dinner team gets to choose the movie.

Every family has their own rhythm and culture and the challenge right now is to invent struc-tures — to pluck them out of thin air. But we can do that, and it’s what our kids need.

(Interview by Mandy Rich, Digital Content Writer, UNICEF.) www.unicef.org

How to protect your family’s mental health in the face of COVID-19

A conversation with adolescent psychology expert Dr. Lisa Damour

Here’s the bottom line:

Kids need predictability

— as much predictability

as you can offer in a situ-

ation like this. So don’t

wake up every day and

figure out the schedule.

Try a schedule, or maybe

try a provisional one for

a week as a family and

then review it at the end

of the week.

Public Health


7

Copy their facial expression and sounds

Sing songs, make music with pots and spoons

Stack cups or blocks

Tell a story, read a book, or share pictures

Talk about something they like: sports, music, celebrities, friends

Go for a walk – outdoors or around the home

Exercise together to their favorite music

Ideas with your teenager Ideas with your young child

Ideas with your baby/toddler

Switch off the TVand phone. This is

virus-free time

Choosing builds their self ��

something that isn’t OK withphysical distancing, then this is a

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Ask your child what they would like to do

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Set aside time to spend with each child

Listen to them, look at them.Give them your full attention. Have fun!

Read a book or look at pictures

Go for a walk – outdoors or around the home

Dance to music or sing songs!

Do a chore together – make cleaning and cooking a game!

Help with school work

One-on-One TimeCOVID-19 PARENTING1

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Parenting tips from WHO

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Teach your child

aboutkeeping

safe distances

Create a flexible butconsistent daily routine

Make a schedule for you and your children that has time for structured activities as well as free time. This can help children feel more secure and better behaved.

Children or teenagers can help plan the routine for the day – like making a school timetable. Children will follow this better if they help to make it.

Include exercise in each day - this helps with stress and kids with lots of energy at home.

You are a model foryour child’s behavior

If you practice keeping safe distances and hygiene yourself, and treat others with compassion, especially those who are sick or vulnerable – your children and teenagers will learn from you.

At the end of each day, take a minute to think about the day. Tell your child about one positive or fun thing they did.

Praise yourself for what you did well today. You are a star!

If it is OK in your country, get children outside.

You can also write letters and draw pictures to share with people. Put them up outside your home for others to see!

You can reassure your child by talking about how you are keeping safe.Listen to their suggestions and take them seriously.

Make handwashing and hygiene fun

Make a 20-second song for washing hands. Add actions! Give children points and praise for regular handwashing.

Make a game to see how few times we can touch our faces with a reward for the least number of touches (you can count for each other).

Structure UpCOVID-19 PARENTING3

COVID-19 has taken away our daily work, home and school routines. This is hard for children, teenagers and for you. Making new routines can help.

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Teens especially need to be able to communicate with their friends. Help your teen connect through social media and other safe distancing ways. This is something you can do together, too!

Use positive words when telling your child what to do; like ‘Please put your clothes away’ (instead of ‘Don’t make a mess’)

Say the behaviour you want to see

Help your teen stay connected

Praise your child when they are behaving well

Keeping It PositiveCOVID-19 PARENTING2

It‘s hard to feel positive when our kids or teenagers are driving us crazy. We often end up saying “Stop doing that!” But children are much more likely to do what we ask if we give them positive instructions and lots of praise for what they do right.

Shouting at your child will just make you and them more stressed and angrier. Get your child’s attention by using their name. Speak in a calm voice.

It’s all in the delivery

Try praising your child or teenager for somethingthey have done well. They may not show it, but

you’ll see them doing that good thing again. It willalso reassure them that you notice and care.

Can your child actually do what you are asking them? It is very hard for a child to keep quiet inside for a whole day but maybe they can keep quiet for 15 minutes while you are on a call.

Get real

also reassu

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Consequences help teach our childrenresponsibility for what they do. They alsoallow discipline that is controlled. This ismore effective than hitting or shouting.

Take a PauseRedirect

Feel like screaming? Give yourself a 10-second pause.

�� try to respond in a calmer way.

Millions of parents say this helps - A LOT.

Use consequences

Give your child a choice to follow your instruction before giving them the consequence.

Try to stay calm when giving the consequence.

Make sure you can follow through with the consequence. For example, taking away a teenager’s phone for a week is hard to enforce. Taking it away for one hour is more realistic.

Once the consequence is over, give your child a chance to do something good, and praise them for it.

Catch bad behavior early and redirect your kids’ attention from a bad to a good behavior.

Stop it before it starts! When they start to get restless, you can distract with something interesting or fun: “Come, let’s go outside for a walk!”

Keep using Tips 1-3

Bad BehaviorCOVID-19 PARENTING4

All children misbehave. It is normal when children are tired, hungry, afraid, or learning independence. And they can drive us crazy when stuck at home.

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One-on-One time, praise for being good, and consistent routines willreduce bad behaviour.

Give your children and teens simple jobs with responsibilities. Just make sure it is something they are able to do. And praise them when they do it!





Millions of people have the same fears as us. Find someone who you can talk to about how you are feeling. Listen to them. Avoid social media that makes you feel panicked.

We all need a break sometimes. When your children are asleep, do something fun or relaxing for yourself. Make a list of healthy activities that YOU like to do. You deserve it!

You are not alone

Take a break

Listen to your kids

Take a Pause

1-minute relaxation

activity that you can do

whenever you are feeling stressed or

worried

Step 1: Set up' Find a comfortable sitting position, your feet flat

on the floor, your hands resting in your lap.' Close your eyes if you feel comfortable.

Step 2: Think, feel, body' Ask yourself, “What am I thinking now?”' Notice your thoughts. Notice if they are negative

or positive.' Notice how you feel emotionally. Notice if your

feelings are happy or not.' Notice how your body feels. Notice anything that

hurts or is tense.

Step 3: Focus on your breath' Listen to your breath as it goes in and out.' You can put a hand on your stomach and feel it

rise and fall with each breath.' You may want to say to yourself “It’s okay.

Whatever it is, I am okay.”' Then just listen to your breath for a while.

Step 4: Coming back' Notice how your whole body feels. ' Listen to the sounds in the room.

Step 5: Reflecting' Think ‘do I feel different at all?’. ' When you are ready, open your eyes.

Be open and listen to yourchildren. Your children will

look to you for support and reassurance. Listen

to your children when they share how they are feeling.

Accept how they feel and give them comfort.

*��+�� !�� is irritating you or has done something wrong. It gives you a chance to be calmer. Even a few deep breaths or connecting with the feeling of the floor beneath can make a difference.

You can also Take a Pause with your children!

Keep Calm and Manage StressCOVID-19 PARENTING5

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Talking about COVID-19COVID-19 PARENTING6

Be willing to talk. They will already have heard something. Silence and secrets do not protect our children.Honesty and openness do. Think about how much they will understand. You know them best.

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Parenting for Lifelong Health is supported by the UKRI GCRF Accelerating Achievement for Africa’s Adolescents Hub, the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme and the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, Oxford University Innovation GCRF Sustainable Impact Fund, UNICEF, the Leverhulme Trust, the Economic and Social Research Council, WHO, CIDA, the National Research Foundation of South Africa,

Ilifa Labantwana, Rand Merchant Bank Fund, the ApexHi Charitable Trust, the John Fell Fund, the Evaluation Fund, the UBS Optimus Foundation, USAID-PEPFAR, the Wellcome Trust, Grand Challenges Canada and Wellspring Advisors.

The mark “CDC” is owned by the US Dept of Health and Human Services and is used with permission. Use of this logo is not an endorsement by HHS or CDC of any particular product, service, or enterprise.

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Public Health


8

Being a teenager is difficult no matter what, and the coronavirus disease is making it even harder. With school closures and cancelled events, many

teens are missing out on some of the biggest moments of their young lives — as well as everyday moments like chatting with friends and participating in class.

For teenagers facing life changes due to the outbreak who are feeling anxious, isolated and disappointed, know this: You are not alone. UNICEF spoke with expert adolescent psychol-ogist, best-selling author and monthly New York Times columnist Dr. Lisa Damour about what you can do to practice self-care and look after your mental health.

1. Recognize that your anxiety is

completely normalIf school closures and alarming

headlines are making you feel anxious, you are not the only one. In fact, that’s how you’re supposed to feel. “Psychologists have long recog-nized that anxiety is a normal and healthy function that alerts us to threats and helps us take measures to protect ourselves,” says Dr. Damour.

“Your anxiety is going to help you make the decisions that you need to be making right now — not spending time with other people or in large groups, washing your hands and not touching your face.” Those feelings are helping to keep not only you safe, but others too. This is “also how we take care of members of our community. We think

about the people around us, too.”While anxiety around COVID-19

is completely understandable, make sure that you are using “reliable sources [such as the UNICEF and the World Health Organization’s sites] to get information, or to check any infor-mation you might be getting through less reliable channels,” recommends Dr. Damour.

If you are worried that you are experiencing symptoms, it is important to speak to your parents about it. “Keep in mind that illness due to COVID-19 infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults,” says Dr. Damour.

2. Create distractions“What psychologists know is that

when we are under chronically dif-ficult conditions, it’s very helpful to divide the problem into two cate-gories: Things I can do something about, and then things I can do nothing about,” says Dr. Damour.

There is a lot that falls under that second category right now, and that’s okay, but one thing that helps us to deal with that is creating distractions for ourselves. Dr. Damour suggests doing homework, watching a favourite movie or getting in bed with a novel as ways to seek relief and find balance in the day-to-day.

3. Find new ways to connect with

your friendsIf you want to spend time with

friends while you’re practicing social distancing, social media is a great way to connect. Get creative: Join in a Tik-Tok challenge like #safehands. “I would never underestimate the cre-ativity of teenagers,” says Dr. Damour, “My hunch is that they will find ways to [connect] with one another online that are different from how they’ve been doing it before.”

“[But] it’s not going to be a good idea to have unfettered access to screens and or social media. That’s not healthy, that’s not smart, it may amplify your anxiety,” says Dr.

Damour, recommending you work out a screen-time schedule with your parents.

4. Focus on youHave you been wanting to learn

how to do something new, start a new book or spend time practicing a musical instrument? Now is the time to do that. Focusing on yourself and finding ways to use your new-found time is a productive way to look after your mental health. “I have been making a list of all of the books I want to read and the things that I’ve been meaning to do,” says Dr. Damour.

5. Feel your feelingsMissing out on events with friends,

hobbies, or sports matches is incredibly disappointing. “These are large-scale losses. They’re really upsetting and rightly so to teenagers,” says Dr. Damour. The best way to deal with this disappointment? Let yourself feel it. “When it comes to having a painful feeling, the only way out is through. Go ahead and be sad, and if you can let yourself be sad, you’ll start to feel better faster.”

Processing your feelings looks dif-ferent for everyone. “Some kids are going to make art, some kids are going to want to talk to their friends and use their shared sadness as a way to feel connected in a time when they can’t be together in person, and some kids are going to want to find ways to get food to food banks,” says Dr. Damour. What’s important is that you do what feels right to you.

www.unicef.org

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything you’re hearing about coronavirus disease 2019 right now. It’s also understandable if your children are feeling anxious, too. Children might

find it difficult to understand what they are seeing online or on TV – or hearing from other people – so they can be par-ticularly vulnerable to feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness. But having an open, supportive discussion with your children can help them under-stand, cope and even make a positive contribution for others.

1. Ask open questions and listenStart by inviting your child to talk

about the issue. Find out how much they already know and follow their lead. If they are particularly young and haven’t already heard about the out-break, you may not need to raise the issue – just take the chance to remind them about good hygiene practices without introducing new fears.

Make sure you are in a safe envi-ronment and allow your child to talk freely. Drawing, stories and other activities may help to open up a dis-cussion. Most importantly, don’t min-imize or avoid their concerns. Be sure to acknowledge their feelings and assure them that it’s natural to feel scared about these things. Demonstrate that you’re listening by giving them your full attention, and make sure they understand that they can talk to you and their teachers whenever they like.

2. Be honest: Explain the truth in

a child-friendly wayChildren have a right to truthful

information about what’s going on in the world, but adults also have a responsibility to keep them safe from distress. Use age-appropriate language, watch their reactions, and be sensitive to their level of anxiety.

If you can’t answer their questions, don’t guess. Use it as an opportunity to explore the answers together. Web-sites of international organizations like UNICEF and the World Health Organ-ization are great sources of infor-mation. Explain that some information online isn’t accurate, and that it’s best to trust the experts.

3. Show them how to protect

themselves and their friendsOne of the best ways to keep

children safe from coronavirus and other diseases is to simply encourage regular handwashing. It doesn't need to be a scary conversation. You can also show children how to cover a cough or a sneeze with their elbow, explain that it’s best not to get too close to people who have those symptoms, and ask them to tell you if they start to feel like they have a fever, cough or are

having difficulty breathing.

4. Offer reassuranceWhen we’re seeing lots of troubling

images on TV or online, it can some-times feel like the crisis is all around us. Children may not distinguish between images on screen and their own personal reality, and they may believe they’re in imminent danger.

You can help your children cope with the stress by making opportunities for them to play and relax, when possible. Keep regular routines and schedules as much as possible, especially before they go to sleep, or help create new ones in a new environment.

If you are experiencing an outbreak in your area, remind your children that they are not likely to catch the disease, that most people who do have coro-navirus don’t get very sick, and that lots of adults are working hard to keep your family safe.

If your child does feel unwell, explain that they have to stay at home/at the hospital because it is safer for them and their friends. Reassure them that you know it is hard at times, but that following the rules will help keep everyone safe.

5. Check if they are experiencing

or spreading stigma

The outbreak of coronavirus has brought with it numerous reports of racial discrimination around the world, so it’s important to check that your children are neither experiencing nor contributing to bullying. Explain that coronavirus has nothing to do with what someone looks like, where they are from or what language they speak. Remind your children that everyone deserves to be safe and we should each do our part to spread kindness and support each other.

6. Look for the helpersIt’s important for children to know

that people are helping each other with

acts of kindness and generosity. Share stories of health workers, scientists and young people, among others, who are working to stop the outbreak and keep the community safe. It can be a big comfort to know that compassionate people are taking action.

7. Take care of yourselfYou’ll be able to help your kids

better if you’re coping, too. Children will pick up on your own response to the news, so it helps them to know you’re calm and in control. If you’re feeling anxious or upset, take time for yourself and reach out to other family, friends and trusted people in your community. Make some time to do things that help you relax and recuperate.

8. Close conversations with careIt’s important to know that we’re not

leaving children in a state of distress. As your conversation wraps up, try to gauge their level of anxiety by watching their body language, considering whether they’re using their usual tone of voice and watching their breathing.

Remind your children that they can have other difficult conversations with you at any time. Remind them that you care, you’re listening and that you’re available whenever they’re feeling worried.

www.unicef.org

8 tips to help comfort and protect children

How to talk to your child about the coronavirus disease

How teenagers can protect their mental health during COVID-19

Public Health


9

The body's respiratory system includes the nose, sinuses, mouth, throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx), windpipe (trachea), and lungs.

Upper respiratory infections affect the parts of the respiratory tract that are higher on the body, including the nose, sinuses, and throat, while lower respiratory infections affect the airways and lungs.

Types of upper respiratory infection include the common cold (head cold), the mild flu, tonsillitis, lar-yngitis, and sinus infection. Of the upper respiratory infection symptoms, the most common is a cough. Lung infections may also lead to a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, sneezing, achy muscles, and headache.

Lower respiratory infections may be found in your lungs or breathing airways. They can be caused by viral infections like the severe flu or bac-terial infections like tuberculosis. Lower respiratory infection symptoms include a severe cough that may produce mucus (phlegm), cause shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing when exhaling.

Whooping CoughWhooping cough is caused by the

Bordetella pertussis bacterium. Uncon-trollable, violent coughing that can make it difficult to breathe is charac-teristic of this lung infection. The whooping sound comes from an ill person sucking in air after a coughing fit. Anyone, including adults, can get pertussis. The pertussis vaccine is rec-ommended for both adults and children. This vaccine helps prevent the spread of infection of whooping cough in infants and others.

Bird Flu (Avian Flu H5N1)Avian (bird) flu is an illness caused

by an influenza-A virus. Most human illnesses from avian flu have been caused by the LPAI (low pathogenic avian flu) H7N9 and HPAI (high path-ogenic avian flu) H5N1 variants that have genetic similarities to viruses found to infect birds. People infected with bird flu have often been in close contact with sick birds and their drop-pings, or in direct contact with someone else already infected with the bird flu virus.

Bird flu can cause fever, difficulty breathing, diarrhoea, headache, body aches, confusion, sore throat, and runny nose. Bird flu can be life threatening. About 40% of those infected with H7N9 and 50% of people infected with the H5N1 variant die from complications.

Treatment: Antiviral medications are usually prescribed and can help you cope with avian flu. Severe infec-tions usually require hospitalization in an intensive care unit with supportive treatments like mechanical breathing support and oxygen administration. The best way to prevent bird flu it is to avoid sources of exposure like contam-inated poultry farms, aviaries, or coops.

Flu in ChildrenSeasonal influenza ("the flu"), is an

acute respiratory illness caused by influenza A or B viruses and is most dangerous to children, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems. The flu is contagious, spreading

through droplets created anytime an infected person sneezes or talks. Children may be able to pass the flu virus for longer than seven days, and some people who are infectious may show no symptoms of flu.

Flu illness begins one to four days after the virus enters your body, and can cause fever, chills, throat pain, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue. Flu symptoms in children may also include vomiting and diarrhoea.

Differences between flu and stomach fluAlthough flu may cause vomiting

and diarrhoea, especially in children, this does not necessarily mean a child has "stomach flu". Stomach flu is caused by intestinal infection from a virus, typically rotavirus or norovirus. In other words, stomach flu is actually a different disease all together from "the flu".

Flu Prevention: Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu shot annually to help prevent the spread infection. Vaccines contain inactive (dead) viruses triggering an immune response without infection. This helps the body produce flu anti-bodies thus preventing further

infection. Beyond vaccination, experts recommend keeping children home if they are sick with the flu. Washing hands often with soap and water when available, and when not, using an alcohol-based hand rub.

Avoid sharing food, utensils, dishes, bedding and clothes with children who are sick with the flu. Clean and dis-infect frequently touched surfaces such as toys and play areas to prevent the spread of flu viruses.

Flu in AdultsSeasonal influenza ("the flu") in

adults is also caused by the Influenza A or B viruses. The flu can be unpre-dictable and flu symptoms can range from mild to severe. Flu symptoms in adults are often the same as in children.

Complications of the flu can include bacterial pneumonia, ear infection, sinus infection, dehydration, and wors-ening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates 200,000 people are hospitalized each year due to flu complications. Seniors and those with compromised immune systems are the most at risk for flu complications.

Flu Prevention: Getting a seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu. All healthy and eligible adults should get a flu shot every flu season. A person's age, health history and allergies should be considered before receiving a flu shot.

Bacterial PneumoniaOne common cause of pneumonia

is bacterial infection. Bacterial pneu-monia usually causes a cough that pro-duces mucus from your lungs (sputum). Anyone can be infected, but some people stand a greater risk, including those who: Suffer from a viral infection, have another respiratory disease, or are recovering from surgery. Antibiotics are highly effective in treating bacterial pneumonia, so long as the bacteria are not resistant to the antibiotics.

Most people see improvement within two to three days after beginning antibiotic treatment but some cases last longer, even with IV antibiotics. Bacterial pneumonias, except for tuberculosis, are not very contagious. They can occur from bac-teria normally found in your nose or throat which then spread to the lungs for a variety of reasons

Viral PneumoniaViral pneumonia is a lung infection

that can occur in anyone of any age,

but is more common in young children and the elderly. Common causes include Influenza A or B ("the flu"), res-piratory syncytial virus (RSV), parain-fluenza, and adenovirus. Because it is caused by infectious microbes, viral pneumonia is contagious. However, this lung infection is considered less contagious than the flu. Your risk rises if you smoke or have certain under-lying medical conditions such as heart disease or diabetes.

You may spit up phlegm and expe-rience fever, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, sweating, clammy skin, and confusion (especially in the elderly). Unlike bac-terial pneumonia, antibiotics won't help if you have viral pneumonia. A doctor may prescribe antiviral medi-cations. Because different viruses may cause pneumonia, your doctor will choose different treatment drugs depending on the infecting microbe.

BronchitisBronchitis is a condition whereby

the bronchi (the air passages within your lungs) become inflamed. It is sometimes called a chest cold. Your lungs swell and produce mucus, which brings on coughing fits. You may also feel fatigued, with mild body aches, headaches, sore throat, and watery eyes.

Bronchitis may be acute; in which case it can last from five days to three weeks. Or it may be chronic, defined as bronchitis that lasts at least three months over two consecutive years. Smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis, but dust, allergens, and toxic gases can also cause and con-tribute to it. The acute form is usually caused by a virus that passes to your lungs following an upper respiratory infection.

Common Cold (Head Cold)Everyone has had the common cold

at some time or another. This extremely common upper respiratory infection is usually caused by one of the 57 types of adenovirus. People infected with the common cold become contagious a few days before symptoms appear and remain contagious until recovery. In total, contagion lasts about two weeks.

As an upper respiratory infection, the common cold causes runny nose, sore throat, and headache. Your lymph nodes may swell. People usually recover within a week with this mild illness. However, it may take up to two weeks to recover.

There is no specific treatment for a cold. Antibiotics are useless against the cold virus and should not be over-used. Over-the-counter pain relievers

may relieve body pain. Decongestants can help too. Cough syrups may provide some relief as well.

As with all medications, read labels carefully and follow their direction. Be especially careful when treating a child, as many cold medicines are unsuitable for children. Perhaps most importantly, drink lots of fluids. This keeps cold suf-ferers hydrated and helps prevent another infection from setting in. Ade-quate rest may also help you recover and feel better.

Nearly 250 different viruses can lead to a cold. Scientists have not yet been able to develop a cold vaccine to protect against all of these viruses.

Coronavirus infectionsThe seven known coronavirus

infections that make people sick range from mild to severe, depending on the virus type. This virus family is known to infect various animals, and is also known to mutate easily. Sometimes coronavirus types that infect animals (including bats, civet cats, and camels) mutate to infect humans, and this can have deadly consequences.

A mild-to-moderate coronavirus infection is like the common cold, according to the CDC. Worldwide, people get sick from the four corona-virus types that cause milder infections every day. But three types — the ones that cause SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 — have the potential to be fatal, and each of these has led to a significant global outbreak.

COVID-19The coronavirus is a potentially

deadly respiratory infection that orig-inated in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. Once it developed, the coronavirus spread quickly. As with other lung infections, people with coro-navirus may experience cough and fever, along with shortness of breath. There have been some reports of patients with stomach problems such as diarrhoea and vomiting. Although some only experience mild symptoms, many others experience severe symptoms, which may include pneu-monia, severe acute respiratory syn-drome, kidney failure, and death.

Patients with COVID-19 have been given treatment to ease their symptoms, also known as supportive care or palli-ative care. Many infected persons have been hospitalized. This is a problem because many patients need hospital care and outbreaks like this often use up all hospital resources for care.

Meanwhile, researchers worldwide are working toward the development of a vaccine. US health officials estimate it will take at least a year of research and development before the vaccine can be offered to the public. Currently, prevention of the disease, or decreasing risk, is possible by avoiding contact with individuals diag-nosed with the infection or people who have been in an outbreak area, iso-lation of infected individuals (quar-antine) and strict handwashing tech-niques. Caregivers should use pro-tection like gloves, gowns and approved masks.

SARS (Severe Acute

Respiratory Syndrome)SARS is a severe viral respiratory

infection caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV. The SARS virus outbreak began in China in 2003 and spread worldwide, infecting over 8,000 people before it was contained. SARS virus spreads mainly through person-to-person contact. Since 2004, there have been no known SARS virus cases reported. SARS may cause fever, chills, muscle pain, shortness of breath, headache, and diarrhoea. Most SARS patients go on to develop pneumonia. SARS victims usually require oxygen and possibly mechanical ventilation. Currently there are no medications that aid in SARS treatment.

MERS (Middle East

Respiratory Syndrome)MERS is caused by coronavirus

MERS-CoV. The original source of the virus is unknown but is suspected to have come from camels. MERS can cause a fever above 38°C with chills or shivering, sore throat, coughing up blood, difficulty breathing, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and muscle aches. There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for MERS-CoV infection. As with SARS, MERS patients usually require oxygen sup-plementation and possible mechanical ventilation. There is currently no vaccine or cure for MERS.

www.medicinenet.com

Respiratory illnesses: Types of lung infections

Whooping cough is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacterium. Uncontrollable, violent coughing that can make it difficult to breathe is characteristic of this lung infection.

Public Health


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The coronavirus disease brings with it feelings like anxiety, stress and uncer-tainty — and they are felt especially strongly by children of all ages.

Though all children deal with such emotions in different ways, if your child has been faced with school clo-sures, cancelled events or separation from friends, they are going to need to feel loved and supported now more than ever.

UNICEF spoke with expert ado-lescent psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour, about how you can help create a sense of normalcy at home while navigating “the new (temporary) normal.”

1. Be calm and proactive

“Parents should have a calm, proactive conversation with their children about the COVID-19, and the important role children can play in keeping themselves healthy. Let them know that it is possible that [you or your children] might start to feel symptoms at some point, which are often very similar to the common cold or flu, and that they do not need to feel unduly frightened of this possibility,” recommends Dr. Damour.

“Parents should encourage their kids to let them know if they're not feeling well, or if they are feeling worried about the virus so that the parents can be of help.

“Adults can empathize with the fact that children are feeling under-standably nervous and worried about COVID-19. Reassure your children that illness due to COVID-19 infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults,” she says.

It’s also important to remember, that many of the symptoms of COVID-19 can be treated. “From there, we can remind them that there are many effective things we can do to keep ourselves and others safe and to feel in better control of our circum-stances: Frequently wash our hands, don't touch our faces and engage in social distancing.”

"Another thing we can do is actually help them look outward. So to say to them, ‘Listen, I know you’re feeling really anxious about catching corona-virus, but part of why we’re asking you to do all these things — to wash your hands, to stay home — is that that’s also how we take care of members of our community. We think about the people around us, too.’”

2. Stick to a routine

“Children need structure. Full stop. And what we’re all having to do, very quickly, is invent entirely new struc-tures to get every one of us through our days,” says Dr. Damour.

“I would strongly recommend that parents make sure that there’s a schedule for the day — that can include

playtime where a kid can get on their phone and connect with their friends, but it also should have technology-free time and time set aside to help around the house. We need to think about what we value and we need to build a structure that reflects that. It will be a great relief to our kids to have a sense of a predictable day and a sense of when they’re supposed to be working and when they get to play.”

She suggests getting your children involved too. “For children 10 and 11 or older, I would ask the child to design it. Give them a sense of the kinds of things that should be included in their day, and then work with what they create.”

When it comes to younger children, “depending on who is supervising them (I realize that not every parent is going to be home to do this) structure their day so that all of the things that need to get done before anything else happen: All of their schoolwork and all of their chores. For some families, doing that at the start of the day will work best for kids. Other families may find it may work okay to start the day a little bit later after sleeping in and enjoying breakfast together as a family.”

For parents who are not able to supervise their children during the day,

explore with your caretaker ways to create a structure that works best.

3. Let your child feel their

emotions

With school closures come can-celled school plays, concerts, sports matches and activities that children are deeply disappointed about missing out on because of COVID-19.

Dr. Damour’s No. 1 piece of advice is to let them be sad. “In the scope of an adolescent’s life these are major losses. This is bigger for them than it is for us because we’re measuring it against our lifetime and experience. Support, expect and normalize that they are very sad and very frustrated about the losses they are mourning.” When in doubt, empathy and support are the way to go.

4. Check in with them

about what they’re hearing

There is a lot of misinformation cir-culating about the coronavirus disease. “Find out what your child is hearing or what they think is true. It’s not enough to just tell your child accurate facts, because if they have picked up some-thing that is inaccurate, if you don’t find out what they are thinking and directly address the misunderstanding, they

may combine the new information you give them with the old information they have.

Find out what your child already knows and start from there in terms of getting them on the right track.” If they have questions you can’t answer, instead of guessing, use it as an oppor-tunity to explore the answers together. Use websites of trusted organizations like UNICEF and the World Health Organization for sources of information.

5. Create welcome

distractions

When it comes to processing dif-ficult emotions, “take your cues from your child, and really think a lot about balancing talking about feelings with finding distractions, and allow distrac-tions when kids need relief from feeling very upset”.

Have a family game night every few days or cook meals together. Dr. Damour is using dinner time to connect with her daughters. “We’ve decided that we are going to have a dinner team every night. We mix it up in pairs, so we rotate who is in charge of making dinner for the family.”

With teens and their screens, allow for some leeway, but not a

free-for-all. Dr. Damour advises to be up front with your teenager and say that you understand they have more time on their hands, but that it’s not going to be a good idea to have unfet-tered access to screens or social media. “Ask your teen, ‘how should we handle this? Come up with a structure and show me the structure that you’re thinking about, and then I’ll let you know what I think.’”

6. Monitor your own

behaviour

“Parents of course are anxious too and our kids will take emotional cues from us,” explains Dr. Damour. “I would ask parents to do what they can to manage their anxiety in their own time and to not overshare their fears with their children. That may mean containing emotions, which may be hard at times, especially if they’re feeling those emotions pretty intensely.”

Children rely on their parents to provide a sense of safety and security. “[It’s important that] we remember that they are the passengers in this and we are driving the car. And so even if we’re feeling anxious, we can’t let that get in the way of them feeling like safe pas-sengers.” www.unicef.org

Respiratory viruses like coronavirus disease spread when mucus or droplets containing the virus get into your body

through your eyes, nose or throat. Most often, this happens through your hands. Hands are also one of the most common ways that the virus spreads from one person to the next.

During a global pandemic, one of the cheapest, easiest, and most important ways to prevent the spread of a virus is to wash your hands fre-quently with soap and water. Here’s everything you need to know about how to wash your hands the right way:

1. How do I wash my hands properly?To eliminate all traces of the virus

on your hands, a quick scrub and a rinse won’t cut it. Below is a step-by-step process for effective handwashing.

Step 1: Wet hands with running water

Step 2: Apply enough soap to cover wet hands

Step 3: Scrub all surfaces of the

hands – including back of hands, between fingers and under nails – for at least 20 seconds.

Step 4: Rinse thoroughly with running water

Step 5: Dry hands with a clean cloth or single-use towel

2. How long should I wash my hands for?

You should wash your hands for at least 20-30 seconds. An easy way to time it is by singing the full happy birthday song, twice. The same goes for hand sanitizer: use a sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol and rub it into your hands for at least 20 seconds to ensure full coverage.

3. When should I wash my hands?

In the context of COVID-19 pre-vention, you should make sure to wash your hands at the following times:

� After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing

� After visiting a public space, including public transportation,

markets and places of worship� After touching surfaces outside

of the home, including money� Before, during and after caring

for a sick person� Before and after eatingIn general, you should always

wash your hands at the following times:

� After using the toilet� Before and after eating� After handling garbage� After touching animals and pets� After changing babies’ diapers

or helping children use the toilet� When your hands are visibly

dirty

4. How can I help my child wash his or her hands?

You can help children wash their hands by making handwashing easier for them, for instance, by setting up a stool so they can reach water and soap by themselves. You can make it fun for them by singing their favorite songs while you help them rub their hands.

5. Do I need to use warm water to

wash my hands?No, you can use any temperature

of water to wash your hands. Cold water and warm water are equally effective at killing germs and viruses – as long as you use soap!

6. Do I need to dry my hands with a towel?

Germs spread more easily from wet skin than from dry skin, so drying your hands completely is an important step. Paper towels or clean cloths are the most effective way to remove germs without spreading them to other surfaces.

7. Which is better: Washing your hands or using hand sanitizer?

In general, both handwashing with soap and water and hand sani-tizer, when practiced/used correctly, are highly effective at killing most germs and pathogens. Hand sanitizer is often more convenient when you are outside of the home, but can be expensive or difficult to find in emer-gency contexts. Also, alcohol-based hand sanitizer kills the coronavirus, but it does not kill all kinds of bac-teria and viruses. For example, it is relatively ineffective against the noro-virus and rotavirus.

8. What if I don’t have soap?Using chlorinated water or hand

sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol are the best second options if you do not have soap and running water. In cases where these are not available, using soapy water or ash may help remove bacteria, though not as effectively. If these methods are used, it is important to wash your hands as soon as possible when you do have access to handwashing facilities, and avoid contact with people and surfaces in the meantime.

9. How else can I help stop the spread of the coronavirus?

� Use proper sneezing and coughing etiquette: Cover your mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, dispose of used tissue immediately, and wash your hands

� Avoid touching your face (mouth, nose, eyes)

� Practice social distancing: Avoiding shaking hands, hugging or kissing people, sharing food, utensils, cups and towels

� Avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms

� Seek medical care early if you or your child has a fever, cough or diffi-culty breathing

� Clean surfaces that might have come in touch with the virus, and gen-erally clean surfaces more frequently (especially in public spaces).

www.unicef.org

Six ways parents can support their kids through COVID-19 outbreak

Washing hands can protect you and your loved ones

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1. COVID-19 virus can be

transmitted in areas with

hot and humid climates

From the evidence so far, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in ALL AREAS, including areas with hot and humid weather. Regardless of climate, adopt protective measures if you live in, or travel to an area reporting COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is by frequently cleaning your hands. By doing this you eliminate viruses that may be on your hands and avoid infection that could occur by then touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

2. Cold weather CANNOT

kill the new coronavirus

There is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill the new coronavirus or other diseases. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather. The most effective way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is by frequently cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water.

3. Taking a hot bath does not

prevent the coronavirus disease

Taking a hot bath will not prevent you from catching COVID-19. Your normal body tem-perature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the temperature of your bath or shower. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water can be harmful, as it can burn you.

4. The new coronavirus cannot

be transmitted through

mosquito bites.

To date there has been no information nor evidence to suggest that the new coronavirus

could be transmitted by mosquitoes. The new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently. Also, avoid close contact with anyone who is coughing and sneezing.

5. Are hand dryers effective in

killing the new coronavirus?

No. Hand dryers are not effective in killing the 2019-nCoV. To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thor-oughly by using paper towels or a warm air dryer.

6. Can an ultraviolet

disinfection lamp kill

the new coronavirus?

UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.

7. How effective are thermal

scanners in detecting people

infected with COVID-19?

Thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have developed a fever (i.e. have a higher than normal body temperature) because of infection with the new coronavirus. However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever. This is because it takes between 2 and 10 days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever.

8. Can spraying alcohol or

chlorine all over your body kill


No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. Spraying such substances can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (i.e. eyes, mouth). Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.

9. Do vaccines against

pneumonia protect you against

the new coronavirus?No. Vaccines against pneumonia, such as

pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus. The virus is so new and different that it needs its own vaccine. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine against 2019-nCoV, and WHO is sup-porting their efforts. Although these vaccines are not effective against 2019-nCoV, vaccination against respiratory illnesses is highly recom-mended to protect your health.

10. Can regularly rinsing your

nose with saline help prevent

infection with the new virus?

No. There is no evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with the new coronavirus.

There is some limited evidence that regularly rinsing nose with saline can help people recover more quickly from the common cold. However, regularly rinsing the nose has not been shown to prevent respiratory infections.

11. Can eating garlic help

prevent infection?

Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no

evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.

12. Does the new virus affect

older people, or are younger

people also susceptible?People of all ages can be infected by the new

coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

13. Are antibiotics effective in

preventing and treating the

new coronavirus?

No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria. The new coronavirus is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment. However, if you are hospitalized for the 2019-nCoV, you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible.

14. Are there any specific

medicines to prevent or treat


To date, there is no specific medicine recom-mended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation, and will be tested through clinical trials. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts with a range or partners.

www.who.int

Feelings of anxiety are a normal response when we are faced with threatening or stressful situation. However when these anxious feelings do not go away or exist without any

particular cause, it can become a more serious problem. A person living with anxiety may expe-rience uncontrollable and exaggerated worry, and makes it hard for them to cope with day to day activities and stresses.

Anxiety is a common mental illness, char-acterized by:

� Constant worries and fears� Feelings of nervousness or tension� Recurring intrusive thoughts or

concerns� Restlessness or irritability� Physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness or rapid heartbeat

It is important to note that everyone can experience symptoms of anxiety from time to time and it may not necessarily mean that person has an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can affect dif-ferent people in different ways, including their feelings, behaviour, thoughts and physical health.

BEHAVIOUR� Avoidance� Obsessive or compulsive behavior� Difficulty relaxing� Distress in social situations� relying on substances, sedatives and drugs

FEELINGS� Worried� Nervous� Panicked� Overwhelmed� Fearful� Irritable

THOUGHTS�"I can't control myself."�"People are judging me."�"I'm going crazy."� Having upsetting dreams or flashbacks of a traumatic event� Finding it hard to stop worrying

PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION� Rapid heartbeat� Hot or cold flushes� Sweating

� Nausea� Dizziness� Muscle pain� Shortness of breath� Shaking� Sleep disturbances� Tiredness� Lack of concentration

Types of Anxiety

A trained health profession can provide a diagnosis of anxiety depending on the severity, duration and type of symptoms. There are several types of anxiety including:

GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD): Feeling anxious on most days and wor-rying about lots of different things. This is an excessive, uncontrollable and unrealistic worry about everyday things, such as health, family, friends, money or career.

PANIC DISORDER: Experiencing panic attacks, which are intense and overwhelming feelings of anxiety combined with physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain and excessive perspiration. There is often fear that the panic attack will lead to death or a total loss of control.

OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD): Carrying out certain behaviours and rituals to manage intrusive thoughts and fears. The rituals are usually time consuming and seri-ously interfere with everyday life. For example, people may be obsessed with cleanliness, such as repeated ablution or recheck that the door is

locked or the oven is turned off. People with OCD are often embarrassed and keep their rituals a secret, even from their families.

SPECIFIC PHOBIAS: Feeling very fearful about a particular object or situation and pos-sibly going to great lengths to avoid it. These intense fears might include fear of heights, water, animals or closed spaces. When faced with the feared objects or situations, the person can become highly anxious and may experience a panic attack. Depending on the severity of the condition, people can go to great lengths to avoid situations that would force them to confront what they fear.

SOCIAL PHOBIA: An intense fear of being criticized, embarrassed or humiliated, even in everyday situations. Social or performance sit-uations are often avoided or endured with intense distress.

AGORAPHOBIA is not a specific disorder, but a component of anxiety where a person has a fear of being in places from which it may be difficult or embarrassing to get away. The most commonly experienced fears relate to a in a cluster of situations such as supermarkets, crowded places, confined spaces, public transport and busy roads.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Can occur after a person experiences a trau-matic event. Symptoms can include upsetting dreams or flashbacks and avoidance of anything related to the event. The flashbacks are often brought about by triggers related to the expe-rience, which the person then tries to avoid.

https://sehanafsia.moph.gov.qa

What are the signs and symptoms of anxiety?

COVID-19 advice for the public: Myth bustersThe World Health Organisation (WHO) advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.

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Many of the things we can do to improve our physical health will also help us stay mentally healthy and

happy.

1) Keep Active

Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that energize us and lift our mood, as well as strengthening our heart and lungs. Regular exercise can boost self-esteem, help us concen-trate, relieve stress and improve sleep, as well as look and feel better. It also keeps the brain and other vital organs healthy.

Did you know that 30 minute walk a day can reduce symptoms of depression by 36%? (Source: Mental Health Foundation)

Doing some physical exercise every day, even if it is just going for a walk, can relieve tension in our muscles and help distract us from neg-ative thoughts and worries.

2) Eat Well

It is proven that what we eat and drink has an impact on our health, and that a healthy balanced diet is important for maintaining good physical and mental health.

Tips for a healthy diet to support good health include:

� A regular and balanced diet which provides fuel for our body and mind, as skipping meals leads to fatigue and poor concentration

� Eating fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, oily fish and unsaturated fats (like olive oil) as they contain mind

boosting nutrients essential for brain health such as Folate, Vitamin D and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

� Staying hydrated, as studies show that even mild dehydration can cause fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes

� Avoiding sugary drinks and excessive amounts of caffeine, which have been shown to exacerbate stress and anxiety in some people

3) Get Enough Sleep

How we feel can have an effect on our sleeping patterns and in turn, problems with sleep can affect how we feel physically and mentally during our waking hours. When we sleep, our muscles relax and our breathing slows, which contributes positively to our emotional health.

Sleep disruption or insomnia affects levels of stress hormones and neurological functions in our brain, which can impair thinking, emotional regulation, cause irritability and daytime fatigue.

4) Manage Stress

Stress is common in daily life, but exposure to persistent stress can start to affect our health. Whatever the causes of stress, we can learn to

minimize the occurrence of stressful situations and learn ways to manage stress well, including at work. This could be a five-minute break from our usual routine, sharing lunch with col-leagues at work or a weekend activity doing something new. Even a few minutes can be enough to de-stress the mind.

5) Avoid Stimulants

Stimulants including caffeine, energy drinks and tobacco as well as some other drugs can have a negative effect on our overall health and can contribute to long-term mental health issues. It is best to avoid them com-pletely or alternatively reduce the amount and frequency of use gradually.

6) Self-Acceptance and

Positive Thinking

Learning to accept that we are all different and have different skills, abilities and qualities can be the vital step in improving wellbeing. Embracing and valuing these differ-ences both in ourselves and in others can help build posit ive relationships.

Try to recognize negative thoughts,

replace it with a positive one and spend more time doing activities that are enjoyable and can occupy our mind positively.

7) Mindfulness

'Mindfulness' involves being more aware of the present moment, including feelings, thoughts, our body and the world around us. Learning mindfulness in addition to relaxation techniques can positively change the way people feel about life on a day-to-day basis and how they approach challenges.

8) Socialize, Care and

Communicate with Others

Keeping in contact with friends and family can make us feel connected and cared for. People close to us can offer different views from what is going on inside our own minds, help to solve practical problems and keep us active and grounded.

Talking to people we trust about our feelings and sharing our thoughts can provide relief and support, espe-cially when we feel troubled or stressed. It is part of taking charge of our wellbeing and supporting those around us to stay healthy.

9) Have Fun, Learn New

Skills and Do Things We

are Good AtHaving fun can help us beat stress,

so making time to do things we love

can be a great boost for our emotional health. Learning new skills gives us confidence and creates a sense of achievement. It could be signing up for a course, learning to play a musical instrument, sport or language or any other interest or hobby that is an enjoyable challenge.

Doing something we are good at which gives us a feeling of success or satisfaction can improve our confi-dence and self-esteem.

10) Faith

People express their faith in many different ways. This may involve a commitment to beliefs, practices and values that give meaning or purpose to life, which allow a person to feel connected to something greater than themselves. This can provide a way of coping, help people make sense of what they are experiencing and feel gratitude for what they have in life. This is in addition to an individuals' own mental resilience and self-belief.

11) Ask for help

None of us are superhuman and at times we can all feel tired or over-whelmed by the challenges in life. If things are getting too much and we are struggling to cope, it is important to ask for help either from a person we trust or by seeking help and support from a health professional

(Adapted from '10 Ways to Look After Your Mental Health' developed by the Mental Health Foundation UK)

https://sehanafsia.moph.gov.qa

11 tips to take care of your mind

Stress is common and is a response that anyone can have to an event or situation that causes pressure or worry. From time to time we

all say things like "this is stressful" or "I'm stressed".

Stress is generally associated with the changes and challenges that are part of life, although some-times there is no obvious cause. Stress may be triggered by situa-tions or events that put pressure on us — for example, times when we have lots to do and think about, or do not have much control over what happens.

Completely removing stress from life is unrealistic. Some stress can be positive and assist a person to be more alert, energized and motivated about achieving tasks both within work and in social life.

When we feel stressed, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline; chemical reactions which respond to a threat and keep us safe. However, if we are under stress regularly or for a prolonged period, we are likely to be producing high levels of these hormones, which can lead to

physical and emotional exhaustion and illness.

What are the symptoms?

Stress affects everybody in dif-ferent ways and symptoms may be physical , emotional or behavioral.

PHYSICAL: headaches, nausea or indigestion, lack of energy, faster breathing, increased perspiration, palpita-tions and/or muscle aches and pains.

EMOTIONAL: Frequent changes in mood, feeling con-stantly under pressure or over-whelmed and feelings including worry, fear, anger, frustration and sadness.

BEHAVIOURAL: Becoming withdrawn or indecisive, finding it hard to relax or concentrate changes to sleep patterns, being irritable or tearful and/or verbal or physical aggression.

Could it be more than

just stress?

It is important to note that

many of the symptoms of stress are common to other health conditions. If a person struggles to manage stress and experiences some of these symptoms regularly or for a prolonged period, it may be an early sign of a common mental illness such as anxiety or depression.

Stressful events that are outside the range of normal human expe-rience, for example being abused or trauma, may lead to post-trau-matic stress disorder, which requires specific treatment and support.

Prolong ed exposure to stress can increase the chances of devel-oping a ph ysical or mental health condition – that is why learning about ways to manage stress is so important.

It is important for everyone to know their own stress limits and to have effective strategies to manage and reduce stress. Take control of your stress and improve your mental wellbeing with these tips:

1. TAKING CARE OF OUR HEALTH

Learn 11 Tips to Take Care of Your Mind (see article below),

including getting enough sleep, exercise and a healthy diet help stay emotionally healthy and happy

2. MANAGING EXTERNAL PRESSURES TO MINIMIZE THE OCCURRENCE OF STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

� Setting priorities and manage time well

� Identifying the source of your stress and, if possible, avoiding or removing it

� Planning major changes in life, such as moving house or changing jobs, to a time when we feel well and do not have too many other commitments

� Learn how to share our feelings so that we can resolve per-sonal conflicts as they come up, as ongoing stress in personal relation-ships may contribute to symptoms of depression and anxiety.

� Take control of our personal commitments by avoiding long working hours and other respon-sibilities. This can be difficult, but small changes can make a difference

� Knowing our own limits so we do not overload ourselves with tasks, new commitments or

responsibilities. Learn to say 'no' so we do not become overwhelmed by our commitments

3. LEARN TOOLS TO DE-STRESS, ESPECIALLY DURING CHALLENGING TIMES

� Having fun and doing pleas-urable things that we enjoy on a regular basis

� Spending time socializing with family and friends

� Stress management tech-niques, mindfulness, relaxation and spiritual practice can be beneficial for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook.

� Taking a 5-minute break and focus on some deep breathing helps eliminate the effects of stress by slowing the heart rate and low-ering blood pressure

� Talking to a friend, family mem ber, health professional, or someone else we trust can help to relieve stress

� Seeking professional help if stress is overwhelming and pro-longed, or if stress management tips are not reducing stress levels. Talking to a counsellor or psychol-ogist can help find ways to resolve personal stresses and problems.

Strategies to manage and reduce stress

Public Health


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The following advice will enable you to safely and effectively quarantine at home. It is extremely important that you follow

the rules of home-quarantine. You have a responsibility and duty to protect yourself, your family, your friends, and the community as a whole.

How to quarantine yourself?

� Stay at home in a separate room to other family members, preferably one with an ensuite bathroom, and ensure proper and regular ventilation

� Avoid any contact with other family members

� Don’t allow visitors into your house � Use your phone if you need to

contact anyone else in the house� Ask others — a family members

or friend — to run errands for you like buying food or medicine

� You must not leave your house. In the event of a medical emergency call 999.

� Only one member of the family should be allowed to provide care to you. Your caregiver should wear a facemask and gloves every time he or she enters your room and should

dispose of the mask and gloves and wash their hands immediately after leaving the room.

A distance of at least one meter shall be maintained between you and your caregiver at all times.

How to protect yourself and

others from infection?

Ensure you wash your hands with water and soap frequently, with the correct technique, for at least 20 seconds, or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if water and soap is not available.

It is important to always wash your hands thoroughly:

� After coughing or sneezing� Before, during and after pre-

paring food� Before eating� After going to the bathroomEveryone in the home should wash

their hands regularly and avoid touching their face, mouth or nose.

� Cover your mouth with a tissue while coughing or sneezing and dispose of the tissue immediately in a trash bin. Wash your hands imme-diately after. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow.

� Avoid sharing personal household items like dishes, drinking glasses, eating utensils, toothbrushes, clothes, pillows, bed linen, or towels with other people in your home and wash these items thoroughly with soap and warm water after use.

� Clean and disinfect surfaces and used items at least once a day, including door handles, toilets, tables, TV remote controls, mobile phones, and all other high-touch surfaces and items.

� Single-use gloves should be used when cleaning and once you finish cleaning, dispose of the gloves and wash your hands thoroughly.

� Make sure your clothes washed separately from other people’s clothes in the house.

Using the toilet & bathroom

� Don’t share towels with other people in your home and use your own towels, whether you use them to dry off after shower or to dry your face and hands.

� If the bathroom in your home is a shared bathroom, make sure you clean it after each use.

Eating at home

� Avoid cooking or preparing food for others, let someone else in the home cook your food to avoid entering the kitchen.

� Eat your food in your room and avoid eating or drinking with other people in the house.

� Be careful to wash your dishes separately from others in the house.

� Make sure to eat healthy food that strengthens your immunity system.

� Make sure to drink enough water (8-12 glasses a day).

Additional useful

information � If you have a chronic health

condition and require regular medi-cation, ensure you have adequate supply available at home.

� Use simple ways to explain the situation to children and avoid any direct contact with them

� Make sure there is a closed trash bin in your room. Place a plastic bag in your trash bin and ensure the plastic bag is tightly sealed before you throw it.

� Make sure to get enough sleep and rest.

� Avoid contact with any pet in

the house, especially if other people are also in contact with it.

Items to have available

� Face masks. Do not use it more than one time, throw the mask in the trash and wash your hands well after use

� Gloves. Do not use them more than one time, throw the gloves in the trash and wash your hands well after you use it

� Thermometer� Alcohol swabs� Fever-reducing medicine, such

as Panadol � Hand soap� Hand sanitizer, must contain at

least 60% alcohol� Home cleaning items, including

toilet and kitchen detergents� Tissue paper� Alcohol wipes� Closed trash bins

IMPORTANT NOTEIf you are sick with flu-like illness,

such as (fever, coughing or shortness of breath), please call 16000.

www.moph.gov.qa

How is COVID-19 transmitted?

A. COVID-19 is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through contact with an infected person through respiratory droplets gen-erated when a person, for example, coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. It is important that everyone prac-tices good respiratory hygiene. For example, sneeze or cough into a flexed elbow, or use a tissue and discard it immediately into a closed bin. It is also very important for people to wash their hands regularly with either alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

How can I get more information?

www.moph.gov.qa for more information on COVID-19.

-istry of Public Health, Hamad Medical Corpo-ration and Primary Health Care Corporation where any new updates will be posted.

for all enquiries. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Should I call 999 for information

or medical assistance?

A. No.The 999 number is for medical emer-gencies requiring immediate medical attention and transfer to an emergency department. The Ambulance Service’s Medical Dispatchers receive hundreds of 999 calls each day from members of the public with urgent medical conditions and the 999 number must be prioritized for these life-threatening situations.

What are the signs & symptoms? A. Common signs of COVID-19 include fever,

cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. As the virus becomes more severe, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

What steps has Qatar taken to

date to protect the population?

Hamad International Airport and sea ports for passengers entering Doha from all countries. The screening helps to identify passengers with fever, one of the common symptoms of COVID-19

Airport to conduct interviews and examinations of all suspected travellers at the airport.

residential accommodation for those people who meet the quarantine standards.

and the strengthening of infection prevention and control, and laboratory procedures have all been prioritized.

been delivered featuring a dedicated national website, TV and radio interviews with medical experts, regular social media messaging, and newspaper coverage. These activities have included Arabic, English, Hindi, Malayalam, French and Chinese languages.

Disease Control teams have been engaged in regular active surveillance visits to hospitals and Intensive Care Units to ensure that no suspected cases of respiratory infections are missed in accordance with the WHO.

What should I do to protect

myself?

A. Although there are no specific measures that the public should take at this time, people are reminded of the need to follow standard infection prevention and control measures. This includes regular hand hygiene and covering the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, especially as other respiratory viruses are common during winter. People should also avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

How does COVID-19 compare

the flu or common cold?

A. People with COVID-19, the flu, or a cold typically develop similar respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough and runny nose. Even though

many symptoms are alike, they are caused by different viruses. Because of their similarities, it can be difficult to identify the disease based on symptoms alone. That’s why laboratory tests are required to confirm if someone has COVID-19. Unless the person experiencing these symptoms has travelled to affected countries in the 14 days, there is almost no risk of them having COVID-19

Should I wear a mask in public

to protect myself?

A. Wearing a medical mask can help limit the spread of some respiratory diseases. However, the Ministry of Public Health does not currently advise people to wear a mask to reduce their risk of COVID-19. A facemask should only be worn if a healthcare professional recommends it.

A facemask should be used by people who have been exposed to COVID-19 and are showing symptoms of the virus. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected.

What treatment is given to

patients with COVID-19?

A.There is no specific antiviral treatment available for patients with COVID-19. People infected with the virus receive supportive medical care to relieve their symptoms.

How prepared is Qatar’s health

sector to deal with a potential

outbreak of COVID-19?

A. Qatar’s healthcare sector is strongly

prepared to manage a potential outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

HMC’s Ambulance Service staff have been fully trained to safely transfer and manage patients with this type of communicable virus, while preventing further spread. The Ambulance Service has the necessary vehicles and protective equipment to manage patients with COVID-19.

Any patient with suspected COVID-19 is taken to HMC’s Communicable Disease Center for treatment and monitoring while the test is carried out.

The Communicable Disease Center is purpose-built to manage patients with this type of condition and ensure that the virus is not spread to other people within the hospital or outside.

Healthcare workers across the country have been specifically trained to manage any potential outbreak and efforts to strengthen infection pre-vention and control, case management and lab-oratory procedures have been prioritized.

Additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has been planned as a contingency.

What is coronavirus disease?A. COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus

that was first identified in Wuhan, Hebei Province, China. According to the updated clinical and epidemiological features of the emerging virus, COVID-19 is likely to have orig-inated in animals, and the transmission from person to person has been reported. People with COVID-19 experience course of illness that generally range from mild to moderate symptoms. Severe symptoms and complica-tions, or even death, may occur in people who suffer chronic diseases and lowered immunity.

www.moph.gov.qa

COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions Qatar’s healthcare sector is strongly prepared to manage a potential outbreak of COVID-19 in the country. HMC’s Ambulance Service staff have been fully trained to safely transfer and manage

patients with this type of communicable virus, while preventing further spread. Any patient with suspected COVID-19 is taken to HMC’s Communicable Disease Center for treatment and monitoring while the test is carried out. Healthcare workers across the country have been specifically trained to manage any potential outbreak and efforts to strengthen infection prevention and control, case

management and laboratory procedures have been prioritized.

How to home-quarantine safely and effectively

Public Health - The Peninsula...2020/04/02 · (Abu Baker, Al Rayan, WAJ or Al Waab health...

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Transcript of Public Health - The Peninsula...2020/04/02 · (Abu Baker, Al Rayan, WAJ or Al Waab health...