Cough or sneeze into your elbow Covid-19 poster

This poster was one of an initial set of four produced by the New Zealand government to disseminate key messages about Covid-19. Many of these posters appeared in streets throughout New Zealand from 20 March 2020. They were either pasted up or delivered on electronic billboards, and were available for download on the government’s Covid-19 website (https://covid19.govt.nz/resources-and-translation/resources/). The government has used this look and feel for all of its communications, bringing clarity and consistency of messaging to the public during an extremely unsettling and worrying period.

The key message of this poster is to 'cough or sneeze into your elbow'. 'Coughing or sneezing into your elbow catches the droplets and stops them getting onto your hands. Put any used tissues in the bin or a bag immediately. Then wash your hands thoroughly. Then dry. Like the flu, Covid-19 can be transmitted from person to person. The scientific evidence confirms that Covid-19 is spread by droplets. When an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, they may generate droplets containing the virus. These droplets are too large to stay in the air for long, so they quickly settle on surrounding surfaces. If other people touch these surfaces they may get sick' (https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-19/how-were-uniting/cough-or-sneeze-into-your-elbow/).

What is Covid-19?
Covid-19 is a type of coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that can make people and animals sick. Covid-19 can pass from person to person by droplets, and can manifest with a cough, fever, and respiratory issues. Some people with Covid-19 may not get sick, but can still pass the virus to another person. It can take up to 14 days from the time a person has been around someone with Covid-19 to when they get sick. Key guidance has been to cough into a tissue or elbow, wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, not touch the face, clean surfaces, keep a two-metre social distance; and self-isolate if unwell, if recently in contact with someone with Covid-19, or recently returned from overseas.

Timeline
The first case of Covid-19 was reported in the city of Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The World Health Organisation first reported the disease on 31 December 2019, and described Covid-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020, making it the first pandemic to be caused by a coronavirus. The first New Zealand case was reported on 28 February 2020.

The New Zealand government instituted a four-level alert system on Saturday 21 March 2020 when it immediately went to alert level 2 (where the disease is contained but risks are growing); then quickly to alert level 3 on Monday 23 March (where the disease is increasingly difficult to contain); and finally to alert level 4 on Wednesday 25 March at 11.59pm (where there is sustained transmission). Alert level 4 eliminates contact as much as possible. Essential services were maintained, but non-essential businesses and institutions were closed, and everyone was directed to stay at home until Covid-19 was under control. New Zealand’s borders were closed for entry to almost all travellers.

The stakes are high, with lives and livelihoods suffering both here and across the world. Many countries have instituted lockdown measures, with businesses closed, and citizens ordered to stay home. In the worst hit areas, hospital systems have been overwhelmed. It is the biggest challenge faced by the world since the Second World War (1939-45).