How to wear mask? How to wash your hand? To all my friends, As everyone should know by now, there is going to be a huge outbreak of typical pneumonia in Asia (well...you could consider it an outbreak now). It's not limited to HK! First of all, before you get all happy about being able to get a hold of a mask, please learn how to wear one. If you don't, your case would be worse than people without a mask. If, after you have a mask on, you still have leaks at the two sides of your cheek, then you are obviously not wearing it right. The problem is, if virus or germs leaks in, then you'll be breathing that virus or germs all day long. Freaky, isn't it? Every mask is wore on differently. However, most mask (N95, 8210, surgical masks...or similar) should be able to wrap around your chin! YES! THE CHIN! Or else you'll definitely find a leak at the two sides of your cheek! As everyone should know by now, N95 has the biggest protection. It blocks both big and small droplets. BUT (yes...but), it also has the worst ventilation! If anyone has tried to wear for a day, they'll probably know. Next best thing are surgical masks, which you'll probably see two kinds in the market, one with the ear loop (which are usually call Procedure mask), and one with two ropes which you are suppose to tie yourself. Of the two, the latter works better. Surgical mask - Way to put it on: 1. With the green side facing out (or which means the white side towards yourself), and with the wire on the topside (meaning, on your nose), press along the wire to adjust/mold it to your face's and nose's shape. 2a. With the ear loop, just loop it around the ear! Pull to spread the folds until it has wrapped around the chin. done! 2b. With the one with ropes (the better one), you wrap the upper rope around your head (just above the ear). Tie a knot. 3. As you could see the folds on the mask, you pull the mask downwards, wrapping the chin. 4. The lower rope should now be near your jaw. Wrap it upwards toward the top of your head. Tie a knot at the top of our head. (Yes, you should look like a lovely wrapped gift by now.) 5. Check for leaks on two sides of your cheeks. Your are safe! LOOKING LIKE AN IDIOT FOR A COUPLE WEEKS IS BETTER THAN RISKING YOUR LIVES! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! Second precaution: WASH YOUR HANDS! Hopefully, you have disinfectants. If not, at least use some soap. 1. Rub your palms back and forth (try 5 times). 2. Rub one palm against the other hand's back. (5 times). Switch hands. 3. Wrap right hand around left thumb. Twist. (5 times). Switch hands. 4. At the same time, put your 4 fingers in the palm of the other hand,and twist. Kind of like tying your fingers to your palms, knotting your hands together. (or, like the position of the hands of an opear singer) 5. When rinsing your hands, rinse it with your fingers pointing downwards to the drainage so that germs will be flushed away from your hands. Right now, since we don't know much about the virus, try to keep yourself as clean as possible. If you must go to a hospital, wash your hands before and after you leave the hospital. Also, especially for GIRLS: 1. Try not to keep your nails too long, as it does catch a lot of germs and bacteria. 2. Now is the time to catch up all your beauty sleep so that you'll save enough energy to fight any contamination, viruses, germs, and bacteria. 3. SHOWER at NIGHT. We can't be sure now as to how long the virus could live before it finds a host. Some say 6 hours. So, showering at night gives you the benefit of not bringing it to bed and then breathing it in yourself again. ESPECIALLY those girls (well...guys now too) who have long hair. For example, say if someone has sneezed or coughed and you caught some on your hair. If you go to bed with that virus on you, you'll catch it easily with just a breeze or smelling your hair (as I know many girls (somehow) love to smell their shampoo off their hair). For everyone: 1. When travelling on public transit (bus, mtr, trains, vans, and taxi), remember not to touch yourself (especially your eye(lid), rubbing your nose, handling food, or even sticking your finger into your ear). As this virus is passed through any part of your body which has a membrane (meaning, it's permeable to membranes with mucus). Well, forget about the science, just bodily secretion from any part of your body which has mucus (eye, nose, ear, mouth, sex organ). In another word, after getting off public transit or other places (such as rails of escalators, stairs, etc), remember to WASH YOUR HANDS before rubbing yourself. 2. Don't go to hospital unless your have to. And if you have to, keep your visit short. 3. If you have symptoms of atypical pneumonia, go to the doctor ASAP before you pass it to others. Briefly, some symptoms are: flu, fever of 38 degrees celsius or higher, shortage of breath, feeling periods of hot and cold, and increasing or a new cough. (I'll try to include an more accurate and extensive list tomorrow.) 4. Please go to the doctor if you feel you might have it or else it'll be in the community forever!! Earlier diagnosis could greatly increase your chance of living and greatly decrease your chance of spreading it. Save your life and others! O...by the way, for Prince of Wales hospital, designated room for SARS (no, NOT SAR as in Special Administration Region, HK) but (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)...IS 8A! As for Queen Mary hospital, designated room is 6A/6B (where 6B is a back up in case 6A is full). I'll try to update other hospitals' information or general information when I get the information. Before it could be proven it is airborne, this is all the information I could provide. (Let's cross our fingers and hope that it won't be! =) P.S. For all of you who are real picky with my style and grammar, forgive me as it's getting late and I really want to get this message out ASAP. P.P.S. Please send this to other you people you think it'll help. 27-03-2003 資料提供 : Elise Tang