Now, as the lockdown across the world is reversing, it’ll help to remember that Covid-19 is still around and that you can still be infected.
In other words, while you might be free to step out without too many restrictions, you could still be exposing yourself to the dreaded infection, or worse be a carrier and not know about it.
The good news, however, is that some basic precautions can ensure you stay safe. Here are some rituals to help you to stay safe even if you need to step out of your home occasionally.
Open the door with a cloth
Sounds funny? It isn’t if you think of how exposed a door knob is to infections and contagious viruses. Open with a piece of cloth that you can wash as soon as you enter your home.
But that’s in addition to the sanitizer you keep on you, which you can spray or rub on the handle before using it, too.
If you have to use a lift, don’t punch on the lift’s number pads with your naked finger. Either cover it with a cloth or use a small stick like thing to punch.
Wash your hands, very often
We cannot say this enough. Wash your hands as soon as you walk into your home from anywhere. By that, you know what we mean: 20 whole seconds of scrubbing every bit of your hands, wrists, fingertips and under your nails.
Yes, you could also wash it to the duration of two renditions of Happy Birthday to You! Some doctors even advise that you take a shower when you get back home from the outdoors. And go ahead and wash (wash, wash) your hands after you’ve sneezed, coughed or blown your nose.
Put away your clothes for washing
Once you return home, ensure you toss the clothes you’ve worn into the wash. Wash them right away.
Wash your mask after every use
It is advisable that once you get back home after a jaunt outdoors, you wash your cloth and washable masks immediately.
Experts also point out not to wash N95 or surgical masks. Leave them to disinfect for at least 72 hours before reusing them. You could then store those masks in good condition in a paper bag, away from other items.
Do not use another family member’s mask!
Disinfect everything you carried with you
That could mean phones, goggles, glasses, keys or any other object you had taken with you. A good sanitizer or disinfectant has 60–70% alcohol concentration or higher. While you could disinfect your phone and non-waterproof items using a disinfectant, just plain water and soap for the others would serve well too.
So while COVID-19 may not be in a hurry to go away yet, adhering to these protocols could keep you and your loved ones safe despite the times.
