Things You Can Do to Fight Coronavirus
It’s been months, and the coronavirus global pandemic is still raging all across the world. We are all tired and discouraged, growing fatigued from weeks of social distancing restrictions and precautions.
Though we’re ready to head back to our normal lives, the pandemic is far from over; this virus, despite what some wish to believe, won’t simply go away on its own. Rather, it may be quite some time before we develop a safe and effective vaccine or come up with methods to treat COVID-19. As cases in nearly half the states in our country are experiencing disastrous surges in new infections, it’s time to do whatever we can as individuals to help fight the coronavirus—for ourselves and our communities. Here are some easy things you can do today to combat the risk of contracting COVID-19.
Wear Your Face Mask
This is probably one of the simplest and most effective things that you and your family can do today. The World Health Organization has recommended using medical-grade masks if you are high risk or over the age of 60, but a simple triple-layer cloth mask is sufficient for everyone else over age 2. Even layering silk or another cloth over your face can serve as an effective face mask. It doesn’t need to be anything too complex. This simple step will help to reduce the number of virus particles that you are exposed to when you go out, as well as the particles you spread yourself. It’s possible to be an asymptomatic carrier of the coronavirus, so wearing your face mask is a simple and non-invasive way to help protect yourself and your community.
While on the subject of face masks, even if you put one on, it won’t do any good unless you’re wearing it correctly. Too many people are wearing masks down on their chins or leaving their nose out. Because you breathe through both your nose and mouth, covering only your mouth will do nothing to protect yourself or others from droplets that can come through your nose. Touching your face too frequently to adjust your mask can also put you at risk. So, wear your mask correctly and avoid touching your face!
Keep Washing Your Hands
That’s right, hand washing is still one of the most effective ways to kill those pesky germs you’re picking up from your surroundings. Washing your hands with simple soap and hot water for 20 seconds is extremely effective at getting rid of germs and bacteria. Wash your hands thoroughly and often as you go about your day. Even if they don’t look dirty to you, you could be carrying around various infectious germs and spreading them throughout your environment. But if you stay on top of your handwashing, you lower the chance significantly that you will spread the coronavirus to others or pick it up yourself.
Hand sanitizer can help if you aren’t able to visit a sink with soap frequently, but make sure you choose a hand sanitizer that complies with health officials’ guidelines. Any hand sanitizer should contain at least 60 percent alcohol. Certainly, some hand sanitizer is better than nothing at all, but be aware that some are considered better than others.
Stay Informed
Even though it can seem intimidating to sort out all of the data that’s available right now, you and your family need to stay as up-to-date as possible on the prevalence of the virus in your community. Most areas continue to report new cases, so it can be relatively easy to keep abreast of the latest developments. What you want to see is a decline in new cases near you, otherwise heading out in public still carries quite a substantial risk (though you can cut that by taking necessary precautions).
Keep Your Distance and Stay Ready
It’s vitally important for you to avoid crowded situations if at all possible. You want the situations you’re in to allow for social distancing (i.e., keeping at least 6 feet between you and everyone else). Your risk of contracting the virus goes up substantially if you can’t follow the social distancing guidelines.
It’s about the time of exposure, proximity to other people, and the area you’re in—you want to stick to outdoor venues if at all possible, as the virus can be diluted more outside, and stay away from large groups of people whenever you are able. If there are a lot of people around, make sure you have a mask on and keep washing your hands!
Finally, the reality is that more people will end up contracting this virus than not. We must stay prepared for the likelihood that ourselves or someone within our household will get sick. Clean frequently touched surfaces regularly, designate a sick room in your home, and keep some essential supplies ready just in case. Coronavirus is not going anywhere anytime soon, but if we work together as a community, we can help fight back against it.