Practice physical distancing even during Ramadan, urges World Health Organization (WHO)

NEW DELHI: As the holy month of Ramadan this year falls between late April and late May amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged people to keep maintaining physical distancing. “Practice physical distancing by strictly maintaining a distance of at least 1 metre (3 feet) between people at all times,” the WHO said in its interim guidance titled “Safe Ramadan practices in the context of COVID-19”. “Use culturally and religiously sanctioned greetings that avoid physical contact, such as waving, nodding, or placing the hand over the heart,” said the document. The transmission of COVID-19 is facilitated by close contact between people, as the virus is spread through respiratory droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces. To mitigate the public health impact, several countries have implemented physical distancing measures aimed at interrupting transmission of the virus by reducing interaction between people. “These measures are fundamental control mechanisms to control the spread of infectious diseases, particularly respiratory infections, associated with large gatherings of people,” said WHO. (IANS)

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