The Novel Coronavirus has spread faster than anticipated and has crept into our cities, communities, and homes. Across the world, countries are in lockdown hoping to stem the spread of the virus and protect its citizens. While we may not be able to assist the governments in their massive efforts to battle COVID-19, we certainly can do our part by protecting our families and ensuring that they stay safe and away from infection.
There are two aspects that need to be covered while protecting yourself and your family from Coronavirus, one is in terms of personal hygiene and the other is in terms of keeping your homes and surrounding clean and infection-free.
Personal Protection
The best way to prevent illness is by avoiding being exposed to the COVID-19.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Ensure every family member follows the same.
- Carry a hand sanitizer with you and use it whenever you don’t have access to soap and water.
- Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cough and sneeze into tissues and dispose them into a closed bin
- If you are sick wear a face mask so as to not infect others
Home Protection
- Clean and disinfect regularly touched surfaces like door handles, kitchen surfaces, taps, refrigerators, computers, desks, switches, phones, and microwaves
- Ensure no surface is left dirty in the home. If you want to do a deep clean then use products that have an amount of bleach in them
- Ensure that your family showers regularly and clothes are washed frequently
- Do not step out of the house except to purchase essentials. Even at that time only 1 member of the household should step out and disinfect themselves once they return.
- Fruits and vegetables can be soaked in saltwater to clean them before storing them away.
- Wipe down food packed in plastic containers or packets before opening them.
Community Guidelines
If you are aware of people who might have Coronavirus in your community or people who are put under quarantine based on their travel to infected places, then ensure that your community or apartment follows the below guidelines
- Ensure the person and their family follows the quarantine rules strictly
- Disinfect the common surfaces like doors, gates, and lifts
- Avoid any close contact with people who might be sick
- Ensure that garbage is segregated and cleared daily
- Stay in touch with local healthcare authorities for assistance if anyone from the community has been infected.
Panic will not help solve the crisis, but care needs to be taken to ensure that the virus spread is curtailed, and we are back to our normal lives.
