There are way more germs on gadgets such as mobile phones and laptops than in toilets, a senior official of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has cautioned.
“At home, you clean toilets, sometimes more than once a day, because you know there are germs. But many of the gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops, computers, and desk phones have more germs that can cause infection,” explained Dr Soha al-Bayat, head, Vaccination Unit, Health Protection and Communicable Disease Control Department at MoPH.
"Though vaccine is number one to prevent communicable diseases, hand hygiene can stop the spread of germs," she stressed on the sidelines of a training session for healthcare professionals.
"Regular hand wash with antiseptic solution or soap and water is the best way to prevent germs. We encourage people to start focusing on such simple measures and if we start doing these, there will be less infections,” explained Dr al-Bayat.
“The other thing is the cough and sneeze etiquette to be followed at home and work. Teach children also to practice this. It will really help in preventing many diseases," the official advised.
“For vaccine preventable diseases, vaccination is the number one measure to protect children and adults from infectious and communicable diseases. It has been proven that millions of deaths have been prevented by vaccines and communicable diseases are decreasing in many countries. Some countries have been able to eliminate diseases like measles because of vaccination as well as through hygiene and mass campaigns,” continued Dr al-Bayat.
“One of our aims in having vaccination campaigns is to control and eliminate diseases in the community,” she noted.
According to the official, only two vaccines are given to a child at birth - TB and hepatitis vaccinations. “All other vaccines start at the age of one. As such, below the age of one, children don’t have any vaccines and there is a gap until the age of one. So, they are not immune or protected from these infectious diseases. If all the children above the age of one and adults are protected by vaccinations then they will be indirectly protecting the babies too,” added Dr al- Bayat.
'Not infectious certificate'
A senior official at the Ministry of Publish Health has asked schools to get a certificate from children who have been suffering from infectious diseases stating that ‘they are not infectious’ any more, once they return.
“This should be done in case of infectious diseases like fever and rash to protect the other students in the school,” said Dr Soha al-Bayat.
“There are very mild illnesses that do not prevent a child from going to school. But if the child has high temperature or rashes and if the doctor says it is a communicable disease, don’t spread it to other children by sending the child to the school. Keep the child at home, until recovered totally. The same principle applies for the staff too,” she pointed out.
“We understand that the provision of sick leave can be misused. But doctors are well qualified and if a doctor says, you are not infectious, then, you can go to work. But if the doctor says, if you are infectious, then we expect everyone to understand it and stay at home,” suggested the official.
