COVID-19 – as we are all aware, is a type of disease which is highly infectious among humans and animals globally. As a matter of fact, the World Health Organization has declared this disease a pandemic on March 11th. Thus, it is essential to know basic Covid-19 prevention measures to stay healthy.
Due to the outbreak of this dangerous and infectious disease, the public has been advised to stay at home at all times and practice social distancing to avoid the virus from spreading any further. We understand that this is not an easy practice to do, but all of us have to work together to flatten the curve of this deadly disease. Thus, these are tips to keep in mind to protect yourself when you leave the house for grocery runs.
Although the public has been advised to stay at home during this pandemic, they still need to go out to buy their essentials and for some, to go to work. Therefore, these people must consider a few safety precautions to protect themselves whenever they leave the house.
As a matter of fact, not only do the safety precautions protect themselves, it also helps in protecting their families back home. We have to always remind ourselves that COVID-19 can be infected through people who appear to be asymptomatic, so always be cautious! It is better to be safe than to be sorry in times like these. Thus, to ensure your safety, follow these tips whenever you need to leave the house during this pandemic:
ALWAYS, ALWAYS COVER YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH!
Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 started, there have been a lot of confusions among the public regarding face masks. Some sources said that if you are healthy, you do not need to wear a face mask in public. Some other sources, on the other hand, said that you must wear a face mask when you are in public; no matter whether you are healthy or feeling unwell.
Well, to clear all those confusions, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a statement. They said that due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 now, they recommend wearing cloth face coverings in public areas. This is because the transmission rates in public areas are high and social distancing is hard to maintain among everyone; for example, in pharmacies, grocery stores, etc.
CDC ponders this as an act of voluntary public health measure and recommendation. CDC recommends avoiding using surgical masks or N-95 respirators as those supplies are highly reserved for front-liners of COVID-19 such as healthcare workers.
Thus, it would be better to use a cloth or any other breathable fabric to cover your nose and mouth. You can also make your own cloth facemask at home! This way, it can slow down the spreading of the virus, and preventing those who have the virus but have no clue about it from transmitting it to other people.
In conclusion, if you are healthy and need to leave the house, you should wear a cloth face covering in public. However, if you do feel unwell and need to leave the house, you should wear a surgical mask instead. Please also remember to practice social distancing whenever you are in crowded areas.
LAY-OFF THE TOUCHING
When you are in public areas, refrain yourself from touching anything and anyone. Why shouldn’t you do it? This is because it has been confirmed that the coronavirus can be transmitted through objects and surfaces.
For example, when opening a door at a grocery store, instead of opening it like the usual way, which is using your hands, start practising by using your elbow or legs instead. You might never know that someone with the virus might have already touched the door before you.
Now, imagine if you used your hands to open the door, you will then start touching your face and might fall sick. And because of that cycle, touching another person should also be strictly avoided. Which is why it is advisable for you to always carry a hand sanitizer with you all the time. Every time you touch something, always sanitise your hands after that. Therefore, you protect yourself when you leave the house and your family.
However, you have to take note that not all hand sanitizers work against the coronavirus. Experts state that hand sanitizers need to contain at least 60% alcohol for it to be able to kill the virus. So, if you have been using an alcohol-free hand sanitizer all these while, you should find and buy one which is alcohol-based instead. But, it is also vital that you apply the hand sanitizer properly.
Watch this short video on how to properly apply a hand sanitizer here. Do keep in mind that although hand sanitizers are effective in killing viruses, washing your hands with soap works best. So, if you have water and soap nearby, it would be better to wash your hands instead of using hand sanitizers. Either way, it all depends on the situation we are in. Do these often, and you will be able to protect yourself from the virus when you are outside.
DISTANCE SAVES LIVES
We cannot emphasise this enough – practice social distancing! Social distancing is exceptionally crucial in public areas, especially when it is crowded with so many people. It is crucial to adhere to the rule of keeping a distance of 1 metre from other people.
This is because it helps in slowing down the spread of COVID-19 and flattening the curve. Some might find it hard to start following this practice and find it inconvenient and unnecessary – but believe us, it is necessary! It is essential, especially when you are queuing up at the grocery store. Always keep your distance from other people, and you can protect yourself and your family members.
GO CASHLESS!
Try going cashless when you are doing your grocery shopping. Since money can harbour a lot of microorganisms, it makes it possible for you to be infected with the virus. Start practising cashless payments instead such as through GrabPay, Touch n Go eWallet, Boost and FavePay.
If you do not have these e-wallet applications, you can also pay using your credit or debit card. Remember to sanitise your hand and disinfect your card after that, though. Trust us; this simple practice can save your life. Better safe than sorry!
CLEAN UP A.S.A.P
Even after all the precautions which you had taken to protect yourself when you leave the house, but that does not mean that you are entirely safe from the virus. As soon as you reach home, do not directly touch any of your family members.
First, make sure you take off your face mask and carefully dispose it into the rubbish bin. Next, put away all the stuff that you have bought; take off your dirty clothes and soak them in a pail of water filled with detergent. Take a shower and scrub your body clean with soap. Once you have changed into a new pair of clothes, then you are safe to meet all of your family members. This ensures that no one in your family will get infected by the virus which you might have carried along from outside. This way, both parties will be protected from the infection!
Besides cleaning yourself up, you should clean your belongings as well, such as your phones, wallet, keys and your car! You can use wet wipes, disinfecting wipes, napkins or even tissues to wipe all your belongings – to ensure that the virus and bacteria do not stay on the surfaces of the objects. You may also spray some disinfectant spray on the sofas of your car for extra precaution. Also, do not forget to wash your hands after cleaning!
And there you have it – the tips on how you can protect yourself when you have to leave the house. We understand how this pandemic might have taken a toll on some people’s mental health and financial situation. That is why Rumah-i’s services will help property owners to manage properties and tenants during these hard times.
Still, if we work together and obey the measures that are set, we will be able to fight the virus sooner than we think! Stay at home to protect you and your family. If you wish to keep up with the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19, you can visit the WHO website. For more property management information and updates, follow us on Facebook.
