Novel Coronavirus: 5 things to do to avoid the risk of infection

With 3 positive cases reported in India and many others put under watch, the Novel Coronavirus epidemic is rampantly spreading to countries around the world, making people worry for their health.

Even though the infection risk is certainly high, it doesn't mean you have to be scared. As long as you follow certain basic preventive measures and practice safety right from the start, you can guarantee yourself good health. Here is a list of safety measures, backed by the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which will help you stay safe from symptoms of flu and Novel Coronavirus.

It's very easy to catch the flu or another virus if you touch an object or surface that was touched by someone contagious.

With any flu symptoms, it is important to practice basic preventive measures. Wash your hands frequently, cover your nose, mouth and the eyes to avoid infection and be very sure to sanitize and disinfect the areas you come in contact with, including all the doorknobs, surfaces, phones and handles.

There's a lot of misinformation surrounding the disease's spread and what a lot of people think is that using surgical masks can prevent and cut down infection risk. This is not true.

Medical masks can also reduce the risk of infection but not act as the best form of prevention. If you must, doctors advise you to use a high-grade surgical mask like the N95 one, which can come in handy.

According to the Centres of Disease Control, if you feel like you are experiencing the symptoms of severe flu or novel Coronavirus, you should be attended to at once. But, as a preventive measure, you should call and inform your doctor about the same before barging into the clinic, to prepare the staff about possible infection risk.

If you feel sick or exhibit symptoms related to the disease after being in possible contact with someone who has visited China in the past 14 days or have personally travelled to China, take urgent measures.

The number one risk with flu and other related diseases is the spread of infections. If you feel sick or exhibit symptoms of cold and flu, it is best if you avoid coming to work and take ample rest. This will not just dip your productivity but also put others at risk.

While countries around the world impose strict screenings and guidelines to prevent the infection risk from spreading to the countries, the one bit of preventive measure you can follow is to restrict and limit your travel to countries where the infection has spread, especially China as much as you can.