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A doctor's guide to safe and sensible social distancing

Naked Scientist presenter, Dr Chris Smith, reminds us that coughs and sneezes spread diseases.

We have all been advised to reduce our social contact in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus, but it appears that not everyone is listening.

On Radio Scotland’s Mornings programme, listeners revealed some of the shocking behaviour they have seen: from a man on a bus blowing his nose into an already over-used tissue which was then used on his grandchild, to pubs and gyms still being full of people in close contact.

Naked Scientist presenter Dr Chris Smith is well aware that the message about social distancing just isn’t cutting through to some people and, speaking on the programme, he shared his advice on how to stay safe.

“This is a respiratory infection,” said Dr Smith.

“Washing your hands will only achieve so much. This spreads through the air so if you go into a crowded place where there are lots of people coughing and spluttering, there is a high risk you if breathe that air in you are going to pick this up.”

Dr Smith understands that some people rely on visits from friends and relatives for company.

His solution is to do a little forward planning when relatives, friends or carers are due to visit. All that’s required is to ask in advance whether anybody has a cough or a cold.

"A cold for one could be a killer for another"

“We know the symptoms of this disorder vary very broadly from one person to the next, and what could be a cold for one could be a killer for another. Which is why if people have these symptoms perhaps defer the visit say to people, "Well maybe we won’t meet up this week, we’ll meet up next week'."

And Dr Smith also points out that social distancing doesn’t mean being housebound:

“Use your common sense and go out and about,” he says.

"Try to find other ways to interact with people and socialise but do it in a more safe space, such as being outside if you can."