SA: it’s time to prepare for COVID-19
Spoiler: We all need to wash our hands more.
As new cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) are reported around the world and in South Africa, we need to know how to protect ourselves, and others, by preventing the spread of the virus.
The most important advice from the World Health Organisation is to wash our hands, often, and properly. What this means is washing our hands when we arrive at work and when we get home, whenever we cough or sneeze, and especially when using the restroom and before handling food or eating.
When washing our hands, it’s critical to do so for long enough — with the global recommendation to wash your hands with soap for a full 20 seconds.
But aren’t we doing this already?
Sometimes.
Maybe.
Definitely not well enough.
As with all things, we’re creatures of habit and we don’t like effort. It’s unlikely we’ve formed the 20-second-hand-wash habit, and if it’s not already ingrained into our daily behaviour, we all have to make a special effort to get this right.
We need to be nudged
When we’re standing in front of a basin or in a public restroom or kitchen, we need a visual cue to remind us about how important handwashing is.
So here’s what we did:
Using a Behavioural Linguistics approach that combines elements of language use with behavioural science, we’ve put together free, downloadable posters for anyone to use.
We incorporated behavioural principles that are based on scientifically tested and proven language nudges to encourage more handwashing. Just as importantly, our posters are accessible to different language groups and relevant to us as South Africans.
Download and distribute FREE posters in English, Zulu and Afrikaans
Whether you’re a small business owner, part of a corporate, working in a restaurant/school/hospital, a parent, or just a concerned citizen, we’ve designed these posters to make people in your environment more aware of the need for handwashing.
The posters incorporate multiple behavioural cues that nudge the reader to act including humming the first verse of our national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika, to help us time the 20-second window.
We encourage you to print and distribute these posters wherever you can as a strong visual reminder to communities of one of our best defences against spreading COVID-19: washing our hands.
By following this basic health practice, you can help reduce your risk and do your part to protect others.
Want more information on the Coronavirus?
Keep updated on developing COVID-19 news through the Department of Health website: www.health.gov.za.
For more information about the power of Behavioural Linguistics and nudging for good: drop us a mail.
Want these posters in another language?
Meet BreadCrumbs Linguistics.
BreadCrumbs is South Africa’s first Behavioural Linguistics firm that combines sociolinguistics, psychology and behavioural science to use language to nudge behavioural change.
Find us online: www.thebreadcrumbs.co.za or using our social media channels @BreadCrumbsZA.
