Everything You Can Do To Continue Staying Safe After Coronavirus Is Over
The Coronavirus has effected us deeply in more ways than one. Like most of us, we are all praying for the virus and all of the restrictions, quarantine, and fear to end. However, when it is all over, how can we all keep ourselves safe on our own? What steps can we take to prevent another pandemic? Or at the very least how can we do our part, as citizens, to create a new normal that keeps us all safe. Here is everything you can do to continue to stay after the Coronavirus is over.
1. Keep washing your hands
If you weren’t really washing your hands before the Coronavirus, you might have realized the huge impact it has when it is taken seriously and done regularly. We touch hundreds of surfaces every day. We use public restrooms, set our phones down on dirty surfaces and pick them right back up, shake hands when we meet someone, and much more. When we do all of these things and then proceed to touch our face, hair, and personal items all day long. This is not only gross, but it can make you sick.
Washing your hands can not only kill germs and viruses’, but it prevents the spread of them as well. It takes anywhere from 10-20 seconds to get your hands completely clean. Take those few seconds to take care of yourself and those around you, trust me, you have the time.
2. Practice social distancing
If you were one of those people who stood too close to someone while standing in line at the grocery store, just know, no one liked it when they could feel you breathing on them before the Coronavirus, and no one will like it after. Social distancing is not only useful to keep you and others safe from getting sick or spreading germs, but it is also just good manners. Respect other people’s personal space. Some of them don’t want you to be all up in there business when you’re shopping, standing in line, walking on the street, and so on.
Obviously, it will be different when you’re with friends and family. Use some common courtesy and know that there’s no reason you need to be inches from a stranger in public.
3. Throw out the handshake greeting
I know we are all used to the handshake greeting when we meet someone new. It’s natural and it is a sign of respect. There might be a time where we can go back to handshakes, however, we might have to rethink how we greet others from now on. You can try the elbow bump, a wave, or just a head nod. (The people in the White House elbow bump each other so don’t tell me that’s not professional).
You don’t want to make someone uncomfortable by sticking your hand out and now they feel obligated to shake your hand because they don’t want to seem rude even though they really don’t want to have direct contact with anyone. If you’re unsure how someone will react during your new greeting just simply say something like, “Hey I would shake your hand, but I don’t want to make you uncomfortable so how about an elbow bump instead.” This is our new normal people, so get over the uncomfortableness and move on.
4. Stay home if you’re sick
One thing I noticed during the Coronavirus pandemic, is how companies and businesses were more understanding for their employees to stay home if they were sick. I know it can be tough to miss out on school, work, or events when you’re sick, but trust me everyone will thank you. No one in your office wants a sick person there, your teachers and fellow students don’t want to sit next to a sick person in class, and your friends will understand if you can’t make it somewhere.
This is something we have to take more seriously after the Coronavirus. We as a society have to be okay with letting people stay home if they are sick, and we, as citizens, have to take some responsibility for ourselves by staying home when we’re sick.
5. Wear a mask if you’re sick and have to be out
If you absolutely cannot stay home when you are sick, make sure you are taking the proper precautions when you go out. Not only washing your hands and social distancing yourself from people but also wearing a mask. Yes, wearing a mask can look and feel silly, but masks help prevent others from getting sick by not having to breathe in your germs. Wearing a mask when you’re sick is part of taking responsibility for your decision to be out in public.
Also, if you see someone wearing a mask after the Coronavirus craziness is over, don’t judge them. They might be sick and they’re trying to protect others from getting sick. They also could just still be taking precautions. It’s their life, and them wearing a mask doesn’t affect you so don’t make them feel bad for wearing one. Again, the world will be different after all of this so we just have to adjust to the new normal.
6. Work from home
The quarantine has made working from home the new normal. Non-essential businesses has had to adapt and move to online platforms and figure out new ways to get work done at home. With that, more and more companies and businesses are starting to figure out that most work can actually be done from home. Therefore, more job opportunities should start to emerge that allow you to work remotely. If you can do more work from home and less work in the office that would be extremely beneficial. It has been reported that people who work from home get more work done, are more productive, happier, relaxed, and can spend time with their families and doing things they love.
If your current job doesn’t allow you to work from home, trying looking for one where you can. Working from home is something to look into as the Coronavirus comes to an end, and you can begin researching right now!
