Taking vitamins, wearing facemasks, hand washing and using alcohol or hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes and sprays help protect us from catching the virus and spreading the disease to anyone in our immediate vicinity. While it is always a good idea to take prudent measures to protect ourselves, we should also take the same measures for protecting others. This is now our duty to one another. 

Here are some measures we can take to protect ourselves and our community:

Social distancing

We can’t stress this enough. Social distancing can help stop the spread of the virus and flatten the curve. While most of us think that social distancing means isolating ourselves, it actually means keeping a safe physical distance (about 6 feet of space) from other people. That means you have to avoid coming into direct contact with others, avoid crowds, gatherings, and non-essential travel. Remember that some people can be asymptomatic, this means they can carry and spread the virus without showing symptoms themselves. 

There are other things you can do to still be “social” without having to be closer than 6 feet. You can organize video chats with friends, call family members, and have “virtual” after-work drinks with colleagues from your home. You can attend group classes online or even have dance parties with your neighbors but from inside your respective houses.

Practice good hygiene

We’re not only required now to wash our hands often but to do it consciously. The CDC recommends washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially if you’ve been out in public. If soap and water aren’t available, you can use alcohol or hand sanitizer to clean your hands. 

Avoid touching your face. The virus can get into your system through body openings, so avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose. Especially if you came from crowded places such as a grocery or food shop. 

Surgical and N95 masks should always be reserved for those working the frontlines. But we can also protect ourselves with a facemask. The CDC recommends that we should at least have a cloth face cover when we go out in public. So, when you go out for supplies, please make sure to wear one.

Always cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. A cough or sneeze can propel droplets into the air and can carry on for a few meters away. Sneeze or cough into a tissue or the inside of your elbow, if a tissue is not available. Immediately throw that tissue away and sanitize your hands. 

Sanitize

Get into the habit of sanitizing frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and bag handles. Use disinfectant wipes or EPA registered household disinfectants. To clean and sanitize household surfaces, the CDC recommends mixing 1 cup of bleach to 5 gallons of water. You can decant some into a spray bottle so that it’s easier to use. 

How are you keeping your loved ones and your community safe? What are your tips? Let us know in the comments. Remember to work smart and be a blessing to someone today. Stay safe and healthy!

Written by Jaie O. TheHelp