Honestly pandemic or no pandemic taking steps to exercise proper hand hygiene, disinfecting surfaces regularly, and avoiding close contact with others when you have flu like symptoms are beneficial precautions for our health and safety at all times. There are plenty of communicable diseases out there, COVID-19 and its horde of variants just seems to strutting around in the limelight for the time being. In any case we as individuals (vaccinated or unvaccinated) can do our part to slow the spread of most germs with just a few simple steps!
1. Wear a Mask
This is one of the best way to protect yourself and others from airborne pathogens. It’s important to wash your reusable masks frequently after use or to replace your disposable masks daily if possible.
tip: if you have glasses,double masking will prevent them from fogging up
2. Adjust Your Schedule (if possible)
Is it possible for you to shop when the grocery or department store is less likely to be crowded? That would decrease the time you have to spend in the checkout line and your chances at prolonged exposure to any contagious persons.
** For some businesses and locations Google will show you their active busy hours.
3. Bring Your Own Sanitizing and PPE Supplies With You into the Store
We can’t always depend on the businesses we visit to have wipes for shopping carts, filled and working sanitizer dispensers, or extra disposable masks if we drop or forget ours. With the on again off again mask mandates and social distance measures being lifted and reimposed, stores and other places of business may or may not be implementing proper cleaning measures in between customers. Don’t leave your safety to chance. Being prepared by keeping your own stash of wipes, gloves, disinfectant spray, hand sanitizer, and even an extra mask or two will better prevent you from catching or spreading anything when the stores fall short.
This tip comes in handy for pumping gas too! You never know who’s handled the pump before you.
4. Disinfect High Touch Areas
Light switches, phones, steering wheels, door handles, etc; how many times do we touch these things and then our faces eyes and mouths or the ice scooper in our freezer or the cups in our cabinet? Stop the spread of germs by disinfecting these areas and washing your hands with warm soap and water. This is especially important after handling things like raw meat, money, or public items touched by others such as pens at the bank or doctors office. If you’re out and about and can’t readily disinfect items before use and hand washing isn’t an option, than using an alcohol based hand sanitizer will at least kill the germs present on your hands.
5. Disinfect All of Your Purchased Items Once You Get Home
I know, maybe you think I’m taking it just a little too far now, but think about it…where was the food you purchased before arriving to the place where you bought it? Who handled it possibly moments before you? Did they sneeze into their hand (instead of their elbow) before picking up that package of lunch meat you’re now holding? Trust me on this one, wash and disinfect your produce, boxes and other packages coming into your home that will be stored in your kitchen and handled by your family. Wipe plastic packaging down with Clorox wipes, wash produce with a small amount of anti bacterial dish soap, and lightly sprits boxes with alcohol.
Well those are my top 5 tips for today! I hope you all stay safe and stay vigilant!
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