"Pay attention to the room environment and ventilation. After sleeping with an active air conditioner at night, do not forget to open the room window every day in the morning and noon," director for prevention and control of infectious diseases at the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, urged patients during a webinar on healthcare on Saturday.
Opening windows would allow air circulation in the room and prevent the accumulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus inside the room, she explained. Besides opening room windows, patients must use masks and practice physical distancing to prevent transmitting the virus to family members, particularly to those who have already recovered from the virus, she advised.
Related news: Bed occupancy at Jakarta's COVID-19 hospitals falls to 73%
"Better to open the window wide, and if you cannot, a slight opening still helps," Tarmizi said.
If opening windows is not possible, an electric air purifier can be used to reduce virus particles in the air, she added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has discouraged self-isolating patients from opening windows if they are isolating with children or if doing so exposes them to danger or pollution, Tarmizi noted.
Besides ensuring proper air circulation, patients should also regularly clean their rooms and areas they frequently touch with disinfectant, she said. Frequent washing of hands is essential to prevent the infection from spreading to family members, she stressed.
Full-day mask usage and minimizing physical contact with family members are also essential, she said adding, physical distancing must be observed when patients need to interact with family members in the house.
Related news: COVID patients can measure oxygen levels without oximeter: official
Related news: Task Force: Delta variant accounts for 76 percent of cases
Translator: Lia WS, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
