THE STEP OF PHYSIOTHERAPY PRACTICE PROTECT PHYSIOTHERAPY FROM CORONA PLAGUE

The virus is transmitted through infected people's droplets or mouth and nose. Starting with an outbreak in China in December 2019, coronavirus has now infected people on five continents. Therefore, WHO recommends that each country take aggressive steps to suppress the corona outbreak. Until now, no COVID-19 antiviral drug has been found. Several countries have researched and developed the corona vaccine, but it is still in the testing phase and it takes several months to find out its effectiveness. Therefore, a pandemic can only be suppressed by breaking the chain of spread of infection.

A number of countries, including Italy, France, the Netherlands, Denmark and Malaysia, have implemented a lockdown by locking access in and out of the country and stopping all public activities that have the potential to spread the virus. The government has not yet chosen the lockdown option, and is more focused on the COVID-19 prevention and treatment protocol. Some regional heads have also determined the status of extraordinary events (KLB) and implemented social distancing, for example through the prohibition of a number of mass gathering activities, the application of a learning system from home for school students, to the call to work from home.

What about the Independent Physiotherapy Practices that employ employees? Just like public spaces, offices, factories, or workplaces also have the potential to become a corona virus transmission site due to daily human-to-human interaction. So what are the concrete steps companies can take to prevent the transmission of the corona virus at work?

Protective clothing, gloves, masks, hoodies, respirators, goggles, face shields, and boots are recommended personal protective equipment when dealing with patients who are suspected of having infectious cases. The choice of personal protective equipment should be adjusted to the type of exposure (aerosols, splashes of blood or body fluids, contact with patients or body tissues), the type of procedure or activity undertaken, and the size to suit the user. provide hand sanitizer or hand washing soap useful to prevent the spread of the virus.

This procedure must be carried out through a Q&A process especially if the new employee returns from an overseas business trip or city which is a COVID-19 distribution area. Independent isolation at home is done at least 14 days to find out whether the person concerned is infected with a virus or not. If you show symptoms, it is advisable to immediately visit a health care facility or undergo a corona test. The procedure for returning home from work is to promptly change work clothes and maintain bodily hygiene. 

Detecting the temperature of every person who enters the office with an infrared sensor or thermo gun can be a preventive measure for COVID-19 transmission. Because, people infected with corona generally have symptoms of fever, in addition to coughing and shortness of breath. However, this body temperature detector is considered less effective in identifying types of asymptomatic sufferers or those who are positive for COVID-19 but do not show clinical symptoms.

For Independent Practices related to health services, it can implement social distancing, such as arranging queue distance or streamlining services so that queues do not occur, for example increasing the number of cashiers or customer service. Set the distance between people at least 1.5 meters to prevent transmission through sneezing / coughing.

Disinfectants kill viruses attached to elevator buttons, door handles, metal stairs, and other spots that are often held by many people. A number of studies have revealed that the corona virus in general (SARS and MERS) can survive outside the human body in a matter of hours to days, depending on the type of surface the object is attached to. 

The hand is also a medium of transmission of the virus because it is an organ that is often in contact with people (handshakes) or holding objects. Therefore, providing hand sanitizer or hand washing soap is useful to prevent the spread of viruses and clean the transmission media by cleaning with disinfectants.

The following are strategic steps that companies can take in the affected areas. The principles of the 6 steps of washing hands include:

1. Performed by rubbing hands using an antiseptic liquid (handrub) or with running water and antiseptic soap (handwash). The hospital will provide these two around the patient care room equally.

2.  Handrub done for 20-30 seconds while handwash 40-60 seconds.

3.  5 times a handrub should be interspersed with 1 handwash. 

6 steps to wash hands properly according to WHO, namely:

1. Pour the handrub liquid into the palm of the hand then rub and rub the palms gently in a circular direction.

2. Also rub and rub the backs of your hands alternately

3. Rub between fingers until clean

4. Clean the tips of your fingers alternately with each other locked

5. Rub and turn your thumbs alternately

6. Place the tip of the finger into the palm of the hand then rub gently.