There is no escaping the fact that COVID-19 is a terrifying disease. It’s not the rate of spread that is most frightening, although this is concerning. It’s the fact that the effects of the disease vary so wildly, you don’t know if you’ll have mild symptoms or end up on a ventilator.
That’s why it’s imperative you do everything you can to keep the virus out of your home. The following tips will help you to do just that!
The first thing to understand is that the virus is transmitted through the tiny respiratory droplets of an infected person. These can be inhaled or picked up by touching a contaminated surface. As the virus can survive for several days on many surfaces, it’s important to lean surfaces regularly.
The good news is that regular disinfectants do kill the virus.
Avoid Touching Your Face
The key to becoming infected after touching a contaminated surface is putting your hand to your face, allowing the virus into your body. By using hand sanitizer regularly and avoiding touching your face you can dramatically reduce the risk of infection.
Of course, you touch your face hundreds of times every day without realizing it. You’ll need to concentrate on what you’re doing to make sure you don’t keep touching your face.
Coughing & Sneezing
You can’t generally prevent yourself from coughing or sneezing but this is when you’re most likely to spread the virus. Always cough into your elbow and cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing. The tissue should be disposed of immediately and you should wash your hands.
Washing Hands
You’ve heard it mentioned plenty of times and it’s critical. Wash your hands regularly in warm water with soap. You should wash for 20-30 seconds each time to ensure any virus has been killed by the soap.
If you’re not sure how long this is simply singing the full happy birthday song twice.
Wipe Surfaces
The surfaces in your home need to be wiped with a disinfectant spray. You’ll know the surfaces you use the most. Clean them after they’ve been used and especially if you’ve brought products in from outside, such as having been shopping.
You should also perform a daily clean of all door handles, tables, chairs, handrails, remote controls, and other objects that are commonly handled by everyone.
The aim is to ensure the virus doesn’t enter your home which means you don’t need to worry about it spreading around your home.
Shoes
Research suggests a small amount of the virus may be able to stay alive on the sole of your shoes. To prevent spreading this around your house take your shoes off when you arrive home. Always wear the same shoes out and keep them in the same spot when you get home.
Laundry
Dirty laundry can contain the virus. Don’t shale it before placing it in the machine but do wash your hands as soon as you’ve finished loading the machine. You can then place it on as hot a wash as permissible to kill any virus on the laundry items.