Since the pandemic of COVID-19, people have generally been afraid of being infected, especially cancer patients and family members (caregivers). They are concerned that the immune system of patients during (such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy) and after cancer treatment is weaker, and even more afraid of infection and subsequent danger. The Director General of the Health Promotion Administration, Dr. Ying-Wei Wang, provides a way for cancer patients and family members to take care of themselves at home to reduce the risk of related infections.
Pay attention to the symptoms of infection:
Pay close attention to the patient, family members, and caregivers for the following symptoms of infection, such as fever (forehead temperature 37.5, tympanic temperature 38), dry cough, muscle aches, or limb weakness, cough with phlegm, headache, hemoptysis or diarrhea. If any aforementioned symptoms, please contact the regular medical personnel or the 1922 epidemic prevention line, and wear a facial mask to see the doctor to avoid family infection.
【Self-Care Information for Patients at home 】
Wash hands frequently: Properly wash your hands before eating and drinking, after blowing your nose and after going to the toilet. Cover the toilet lid before flushing and it is recommended to flush twice during chemotherapy. Wash hands with clean running water and soap, at least 20 seconds each time. If you cannot wash your hands with clean water for the moment, you can use alcohol hand sanitizer instead, but it is still best to wash your hands with soap. For teaching videos on washing hands correctly, please refer to the following website:
https://reurl.cc/vD39xy.
Do not touch eyes, mouth, and nose: Do not touch the eyes, mouth, and nose without washing your hands. Cover the toilet lid before flushing to reduce the risk of infection.
Maintain social distancing: Avoid crowds and crowded places, maintain social distancing of at least 1 meter outdoors and at least 1.5 meters indoors.
Reject visitors at home: Try to stay at home as much as possible and find ways to arrange private rooms for exclusive individuals. Refusing visitors, especially those who have just returned from abroad and have been exposed to severe special infectious pneumonia infections, fever, and sickness with a high risk of infection. Also, the need for preventive injections such as flu vaccines can be discussed with the attending physician.
Do not share: Try to avoid sharing food, tableware, towels, toothbrushes, etc. Use serving utensils when dining, and anything that comes into direct contact with mouth and nose should be avoided sharing.
Cough etiquette: When you want to cough or sneeze, if it is too late to use handkerchiefs or tissue paper without a mask, please cover your mouth and nose with sleeves. It is recommended to adopt the standard posture of "pressing elbow and sneezing" to cover mouth and noses (such as accessories). Website link:
https://www.facebook.com/TWCDC/photos/a.187029023406/10157903774903407/?type=3&theater.
Reduce shared space: When cancer patients are treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, they should pay attention to self-protection during the leukopenia. Also, minimize the time spent in shared spaces (such as kitchens, living rooms, or toilets) with non-caregivers and non-close family members, and pay attention to keeping the home environment ventilated.
Pre-preparation: Discuss the sufficiency of drug preparation with the doctor when going to hospitals, and whether you can delay the start of treatment or the delayed treatment will likely affect the condition and quality of life. You need to fully discuss with the doctor before making a decision. If you have any questions, please contact your case manager. If you don’t know who to contact, please contact the nearest Cancer Resource Center for assistance. Website link: https://www.crm.org.tw/.
Urgent medical treatment: If you have difficulty breathing, stubborn headaches, mobility problems or incapacitation, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, etc., it may be an emergency caused by a tumor or treatment. These conditions can be serious and life-threatening. Please contact the relevant personnel of the hospital to arrange medical treatment.
【Information for Caregivers of Cancer Patients at home 】
Wash hands frequently: Properly wash your hands before and after taking care of patients, after handling any patient’s secretions and excreta, before eating and drinking, after blowing their noses and after going to the toilet. Assist patients with covering the toilet lid before flushing and it is recommended to flush twice during chemotherapy. Wash hands with clean running water and soap, at least 20 seconds each time. If you cannot wash your hands with clean water for the moment, you can use alcohol hand sanitizer instead, but it is still best to wash hands with soap.
Maintain social distancing: Avoid crowds and crowded places, maintain social distancing of at least 1 meter outdoors and at least 1.5 meters indoors.
Cough etiquette: When you want to cough or sneeze, if it is too late to use handkerchiefs or tissue paper without a mask, please cover your mouth and nose with sleeves. It is recommended to adopt the standard posture of "pressing elbow and sneezing" to cover mouth and noses.
Cleaning and disinfection: Clean and disinfect the surfaces of objects frequently touched at home, such as tables, light switches, telephones, door handles, faucets, etc. If the environment becomes contaminated, it should be cleaned and disinfected immediately.
Alternatives: The immune system of cancer patients is weaker than that of ordinary people, especially during chemotherapy and radiotherapy. To protect patients, close family members and caregivers may consider vaccinations such as flu vaccines to reduce the incidence of infections being transmitted to patients. If family members and caregivers become ill, they should immediately arrange for other caregivers to take care of cancer patients.