5 Tips During The Coronavirus
There are plenty of lists going out right now about the Coronavirus. We found a great blog and wanted to share! Thank you to SimplySmita.com for sharing these great tips :)
During these times sometimes repetition is the best medicine.
You can read her full blog post here.
1) Wash Your Hands!
Washing your hands is one of the best ways to kill the virus. The CDC prioritizes soap over hand sanitizers and recommends you wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (see image above). Hand sanitizers will only work if they are more than 60-80% alcohol-based, and should only be used when you can't get to a sink!
Bonus - cut your nails! - They keep and carry plenty of the bad stuff so keep them cut short
2) Keep Your Surfaces Clean!
Disinfect Surfaces Daily. The Coronavirus can live on some surfaces for up to 3 daday, so take a moment to properly disinfect frequently touched areas daily.
Bonus Tip - Stop taking your phone everywhere (especially the bathroom!). Try to leave it in one place in your home so that you are not spreading germs.
3). Self-Quarantine.
Aside from washing your hands frequently, the best thing you can do to limit the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home and avoid non-essential interactions with people. If you absolutely have to leave your house, remember to keep a 6 foot distance between you and others to limit the chance of catching, or spreading, the virus, and wash your hands and change your clothes as soon as you get home.
Bonus Tip - Take this as an opportunity to catch up with friends and family (via Facetime only!!) or better yet yourself!
4) Monitor Your Symptoms.
Do you have the flu or COVID-19? Here's a chart to help you break down your symptoms. Also, remember you don't have to be coughing or even showing visible signs to spread the virus, which is even more reason to stay home!
Bonus Tip - Keep yourself healthy by eating right, getting a full night's sleep, exercising and trying to keep your stress levels down (you dont need to watch the news 24/7)
5) Stay Informed!
One of the most important things we can do during a pandemic is to stay informed about what's going on. Check the World Health Organization and CDC for updates. I also recommend Vox and the New York Times, as they both have great coverage of the latest Coronavirus news.
For our local readers, the City of Chicago page, as well as the Illinois Department of Health, are helpful to stay on top of what's happening in our area. And, most importantly, don't get duped by—or contribute to the spread of—fake news!
Incase you missed them, here are some great articles to catch you up to speed:
- How Cancelled Events and Self-Quarantines Save Lives
- COVID-19: A Message From Concerned Physicians
- Washing Your Hands Kills the Coronavirus
- 11 Charts that Explain the Coronavirus Pandemic
- A Doctor in the Heart of the Outbreak in Italy Shares What Life is Like in the Hospital
- How Long Does the Coronavirus Last on Surfaces?
- The US Has One Week to Enforce Social Distancing. Here's Why These Days Are So Critical
Bonus Tip - BE KIND!! In these times it is best to remember that we are all in the this together. That we all rely on each other to be kind and show humanity in order to collectively overcome this huge challenge. Show compassion, understanding and most of all do not let fear drive and feed our prejudice. Hang tight we will be better and stronger on the other side of this.
Here is the full blog from Simply Smita