The coronavirus is not going anytime soon, at least not until we’ve developed herd immunity or we find a cure for it. Either of these will take time. Until then, we have to be on our guard to prevent the rampant spread of the virus.
Flattening the curve depends on our community working together to pull through. Everyone has to play their role.
Here are 5 tips to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that we should all practice:
1. Washing the Hands
It’s simple and effective. The combination of soap and water is enough to absolutely annihilate the novel coronavirus. Do keep in mind that while soap and water won’t kill all pathogens, it will wash them away if you wash your hands properly. Here’s a detailed video by WHO that demonstrates how to properly wash your hands.
You don’t necessarily need hand sanitizers to do the job, although they make the task a bit easier since you don’t need water to wash down the chemical afterward. As a rule of thumb, you should wash your hands anytime you touch external surfaces, for instance, in a grocery store.
2. Stay at Home
Even if you know for sure you’re not affected by the coronavirus, you should stay home. Going out to grocery stores, restaurants, or any place with large crowds will expose you to unnecessary risks. You’re just increasing the chances of the coronavirus spreading further, either on your clothes, hands, or person. Millions of people are vulnerable to COVID-19, putting yourself at risk also puts those near you at risk.
3. Important rules when going out:
- Wear a face mask (cloth will do just fine). Here’s the official CDC video on how to make your own face covering.
- Maintain a distance of 6 feet away from everyone else in public.
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer.
- Cough into a tissue or the crease of your elbow.
- Do not touch your face when you are outside.
4. Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces Daily
Research shows that SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that causes COVID-19, can live on surfaces for long periods of time. For instance, it survives on cardboards for 24 hours, and for up to three days on stainless steel.
This makes it a priority to disinfect high-touch surfaces even if you’re not leaving the house. Also, make it a habit to disinfect high-touch surfaces house whenever items or people come in and out of your house. High-touch surfaces you should disinfect everyday include:
- Table surfaces
- Doorknobs
- Bathroom counters
- Kitchen counters
- Light switches
- TV remote
- Gaming controller
This list should give you a general idea about the kind of surfaces we’re talking about. Every home is different so it helps to think about surfaces you most interact with. For example, for people working from home, their high-touch surfaces include desk surfaces, mousepads, mouse, and keyboard.
When you get groceries, disinfect the packages and discard them if possible. Make sure to wash your hands right after. Here’s a helpful video that teaches you how to wash groceries.
5. Disinfect Your Phone
You can disinfect your phone with a disinfecting alcohol solution (at least 70%). An alcohol swab will also do just fine. Surfaces of the phone that deserve special attention include the screen, buttons, and areas that could trap dust and pocket lint.
Wrapping Up
Stay home when you can. It can be stressful. It can be boring. But it can save lives. If you have more questions, make sure to visit the CDC’s official website. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to our medical specialists.
Visit https://www.healthonemedicine.com or call (469)262-5762 for more information.