The risk of infection is higher when eating hot pot! Famous doctors remind you of the key to "Spring Festival epidemic prevention": this place must be disinfected
Omicron is rampant during the Spring Festival and 60% of cases in hot spots where people go less frequently are infected in restaurants
“The scary thing about Omicron is that almost all young people infected are asymptomatic and do not seek medical treatment. Once they enter the community, they may cause community infection!” Dr. Huang Gaobin, deputy director of infection control at China Medical University, pointed out that although the severity of Omicron is only Delta 1/6 of the cases, but the vast majority are mild or asymptomatic. The public is reminded to remain vigilant during the Spring Festival and reduce travel to infection “hot areas”.
“We need to be particularly careful because there are 10 infection chains that have not been traced to their source. The two transmission chains in Taoyuan and Kaohsiung do not seem to be easy to deal with.” Dr. Huang Gaobin said that although there is no need to restrict people from “celebrating the New Year in place” to avoid Omicron , you should still avoid places with higher risk of infection, such as restaurants.
“If you really need to use it in a restaurant, it is best to wear the mask except when you are eating!” Dr. Huang Gaobin reminded that Omicron is highly contagious. According to current statistics, about 60% of people are infected in restaurants. If you need to talk to relatives and friends sitting next to you, it is recommended to wear a mask to reduce risks.
Is eating hot pot more contagious? The advice in restaurants is to “leave after eating”
Dr. Huang Gaobin pointed out that “eating hot pot” is more contagious because steam will rise when cooking hot pot. When the droplets contain virus particles, they are more likely to float with the steam. It is recommended that you try to eat at home during the Spring Festival. When you go to a restaurant, you should wear a mask as much as possible except when eating. Don’t stay too long after eating, and leave the crowd as soon as possible.
“Partitions in restaurants are actually not very effective, because if they are not disinfected and cleaned at any time, they will become a dirtier area.” Dr. Huang Gaobin said that in response to the risk of infection in restaurants, Taoyuan and Taipei have issued stricter epidemic prevention measures for the catering industry. guidance. However, judging from the number of confirmed cases in the two provinces in the past week, the threat of internal infection is not as serious as outsiders imagine.
“The key point is still to wear a mask at all times, reduce the time spent in restaurants, and get the third dose of vaccine as soon as possible!” Dr. Huang Gaobin emphasized.
If you feel itchy or sore throat, get screened quickly first. Famous doctors remind you of the 4 principles of epidemic prevention during the Spring Festival
When what symptoms occur, it is best to do a quick screening at home instead of going out? Dr. Huang Gaobin reminded that Omicron mainly affects the upper respiratory tract. The earliest symptoms are itchy throat and sore throat. Later, there will be runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, and general fatigue before the diagnosis is confirmed. Fever symptoms are rare in adults and mostly seen in children.
The Spring Festival holiday is approaching. How should people take preventive measures against the epidemic? Dr. Huang Gaobin suggested that firstly, avoid going out to crowded places and try to keep a distance of 2 meters from strangers; secondly, try to wear a mask at all times when dining out, especially when talking to relatives and friends next to you, and you should also pay attention to the steam when eating hot pot. are more contagious.
Third, maintain the habit of washing hands at all times, carry alcohol with you, and increase the frequency of disinfection and cleaning. Fourth, if you have to use the toilet in restaurants or outdoor places, in addition to the washbasin, the “toilet button” is the area most likely to hide viruses, so special attention should be paid to disinfection and cleaning.
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