The Wuhan Coronavirus, officially called COVID-19, has now officially been declared a global pandemic. Countries around the world are now responding to help prevent the spread. Airlines are restricting flights to impacted regions, entire countries are on lockdown, and large events across the world are being canceled.
Luckily, the Bahamas so far has been unaffected. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 in the nation, however, a few Caribbean nations have reported cases. Currently, the Bahamian government has a travel ban on visitors from China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran.
However, cruise ships have become a major hurdle in the spread of the virus. The virus can quickly spread on these large ships. The Bahamas is a popular-cruise ship destination and with more countries now reporting the cases, containing it will get harder.
Locals should not panic yet though. Government and health officials across the world are doing their best to contain and treat the virus. Here is what you should do to prevent the spread of the virus.
- Wash your hands with soap and water regularly.
- Avoid touching your face
- Avoid large crowds
- Stay home if you are feeling unwell
- Stay away from those most at risk, such as the elderly, children, and those with compromised immune systems
- Self-quarantine if you have traveled within the last 14 days or have been in contact with something that has been exposed to or affected by the virus
Residents should also ensure they have enough supplies for two weeks should they need to be self-quarantined. However, please do not panic buy. Hoarding supplies will not help manners, and will only put those that are most vulnerable in challenging positions.
All residents should keep up to date on official updates about COVID-19.