The Wisdom of Dr. Bonnie Henry

1. We may have to live with COVID-19 for months or years. Let's not deny it or panic. Let's not make our lives useless. Let's learn to live with this fact.

2. You can't destroy COVID-19 viruses that have penetrated cell walls, by drinking gallons of hot water you'll just go to the bathroom more often.

3. Washing hands and maintaining a two-meter physical distance is the best method for your protection.

4. If you don't have a COVID-19 patient at home, there's no need to disinfect the surfaces at your house.

5. Packaged cargo, gas pumps, shopping carts and ATMs do not cause infection. If you wash your hands, live your life as usual.

6. COVID-19 is not a food infection. It is associated with drops of infection like the 'flu. There is no demonstrated risk that COVID-19 is transmitted by food.

7. You can lose your sense of smell with a lot of allergies and viral infections. This is only a non-specific symptom of COVID-19.

8. Once at home, you don't need to change your clothes urgently and go shower! Purity is a virtue, paranoia is not!

9. The COVID-19 virus doesn't hang in the air for long. This is a respiratory droplet infection that requires close contact.

10. The air is clean, you can walk through the gardens and through parks (just keeping your physical protection distance).

11. It is sufficient to use normal soap against COVID-19, not antibacterial soap. This is a virus, not a bacteria.

12. You don't have to worry about your food orders. But you can heat it all up in the microwave, if you wish.

13. The chances of bringing COVID-19 home with your shoes is like being struck by lightning twice in a day. I've been working against viruses for 20 years — drop infections don't spread like that!

14. You can't be protected from the virus by taking vinegar, sugarcane juice and ginger! These are for immunity not a cure.

15. Wearing a mask for long periods interferes with your breathing and oxygen levels. Wear it only in crowds.

16. Wearing gloves is also a bad idea; the virus can accumulate into the glove and be easily transmitted if you touch your face. Better just to wash your hands regularly. Immunity is greatly weakened by always staying in a sterile environment. Even if you eat immune boosting foods, please go out of your house regularly to any park/beach. Immunity is increased by EXPOSURE TO PATHOGENS, not by sitting at home and consuming fried/ spicy/sugary food and aerated drinks.

Be smart and stay informed!  Live life sensibly and to the fullest.

Be Kind, Be Calm and Be Safe!

Sincerely, Dr. Bonnie Henry