1. Wash your hands of the virus

Wash your hands the first thing after you get home.  The best practice is to spend at least 20 seconds washing your hands with soap under warm running water.  Make sure you wash your palms, between the fingers, fingertips, backs of hands, thumbs and wrists.  Always wash your hands before you eat or drink anything, however it's also best to wash your hands anytime you're out in public or after you're around someone you suspect may be sick.

2. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough

Protect others from your germs by covering your mouth with a tissue or your sleeve.  This will prevent your germs from becoming airborne.  Try to keep a box of tissues near you at all times, however it's also okay to sneeze into your bent elbow if you don't have a tissue.  Try to stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing since corona virus is a respiratory infection.

3. Don't touch your face

Avoid touching your mouth nose and eyes and in case the virus is on your skin if you need to touch your face wash your hands first so you're less likely to infect yourself.  You may come into contact with the corona virus on a surface like a countertop or doorknob when this happens the germs can linger on your hands so you can easily infect yourself if you touch your face with dirty hands.  Bad habits to kick now include nose-picking, ear-fiddling, nail-biting and thumb-sucking.

4. Clean your phone

Viruses can also live on hard surfaces for hours, or even days.  If you've been swiping away on the MTR or in another crowded place your phone could have thousands of virus particles on it.  Get into the habit of wiping your phone with anti-viral wipes as often as you wash your hands.

5. Wipe your door handles

Door handles are another virus breeding ground.  Consider placing a pack of anti-viral wipes by the door to make sure you are wiping way regularly.  Or, hang a bottle of alcohol spray to regularly disinfect.  Light switches and remote controls are other possible harbors for the virus.  Disinfect high touch surfaces daily using a product that kills viruses (Clorox Wipes, Lysol, Bleach etc.)

6. Social Distancing and Stay Home

Strong recommendations for "Social distancing" are being made.  Social distancing means lowering the rist of exposure by avoiding large groups and gatherings and maintaining a distance of 6 feet from other people.  This reduces the chance of contact with those knowingly or unknowingly carrying the infection.  Stay home as much as possible to reduce your risk of being exposed.  Notify the proper authorities of any travel that has occurred inside or outside the U.S. in the last six months.  CDC's public health messaging system offers up-to-date messages to travelers at specific airports, seaports, and land borders where most international travelers enter or leave the United States.

7. Cook Meat and Eggs Thoroughly

Cook meat and eggs thoroughly to kill any germs and reduce the risk of infection.  Follow the instructions for the type of meat or eggs you're cooking and check the internal temperature of your food using a food thermometer before you eat.  Eat your foods to the following temperatures:

8. Filter your air

While modern air conditioning units often include filters to keep out bacteria, pollen, mold and pollution, they may not be catching everything.  Consider changing the filters to your air conditioning unit or investing in air purifier every three months.

9. Clean with bleach

Disinfect your home by cleaning with a diluted 1:00 bleach solution (one-part household bleach and 99 parts of wate).  Take extra precaution by wiping down frequently touched surfaces more diligently.

10. Clean your toilet

There have been signs that show the new coronavirus can be spread by feces and building pipes.  Clean your toilet and all surfaces in the bathroom regularly.  Close the lid after you've 'finished' but before you flush to avoid fecal particles dispersing.  Check your extractor fan is in fact extracting bad air rather than blowing in possibly contaminated air.  And, get a licensed plumber to check on your pipes if they are getting old or if you've modified them previously.

11. Clean your kitchen

The kitchen is another possible place where the coronavirus could make the jump from outside your body to inside.  Any surface that you touch during food preparation could put the virus on your family's menu, so be sure to clean all worktops regularly with disinfectant to prevent the virus from lingering around.  Disinfect high touch surfaces daily using a product that kills viruses (Cloros Wipes, Lysol, Bleach etc.)

12. Do laundry regulary

When you come home, remove outside jackets and coats and leave them by the door.  Wash your clothes regulary - as you normally would - to keep them clean.  Wash all laundry on hot. Disinfected clothing bedding and towels can all hold coronavirus so it's important to wash them thoroughly set your washing machine on the hottest setting and measure out the recommended amount of detergent for the load size then wash your laundry on the normal or heavy duty setting depending on your model.  If it's safe for your fabrics add a capful of bleach or color safe bleach to sanitize.

13. Leave your shoes at the door

Your shoes could be carrying all sorts of germs, including the coronavirus.  Be sure to take them off before walking around your home.  Wash your hands after touching your shoes and consider regularly disinfecting your shoe cabinet or closet.

14. Avoid Transmission from Animals

Limit your contact with animals to lower the risk of transmission.  Don't risk handling an animal that might be ill.  Avoid handling live animals unless your work with animals or are caring for pets.  If you must handle an animal other than your pet, touch it as little as possible.  Farm animals and pets are the most likely sources of infection.  Wash your hands immediately after handling live animals.  You don't want germs from the animals to linger on your skin.  Wet your hands and apply a mild soap lather the soap on your hands for 30 seconds then rinse it off with warm water.  Dry your hands on a clean dry towel.  If you're handling multiple animals wash your hands between animals in case one animal is built this way you won't accidentally infect the other animals.