Here Is What You Can Do To Help Limit Coronavirus Spread From Home
Looking for ways you can help from home to limit the spread of coronavirus? You’re in luck. The coronavirus is all around and has created a very stressful atmosphere for our world. While it can be scary, there are things everyone can do to help protect themselves and others. First of all, it’s important to not be too stressed out, as things will eventually make their ways back to “normal.” But for now, there are ways to help this situation improve. There are some people who disregard the dangers of this sickness, and it’s these people who are unknowingly part of the issue. Safety is something that should always be taken seriously, even if it is for the sake of others rather than yourself. Until things return to normal, here are some ways you can limit the spread of COVID-19 and help from home.
Staying at Home and Social Distancing
The first, and hopefully most obvious step, is to stay home as much as possible. There are unavoidable reasons to leave your home, like buying groceries or going to the bank. Taking a daily walk is even an acceptable and encouraged reason to leave your home. But otherwise, it’s best to stay in your home, and the only person-to-person contact you have is with the people you live with. As we have learned, COVID-19 can be spread through the air, and some people might have it, even if they aren’t exhibiting symptoms. So the single most important thing you can do is to limit your contact with other people as much as possible.
If you do need to go outside, you should always keep a distance of six feet from any other person, whenever possible. Keeping your distance from others also includes avoiding crowds and social gatherings. The only people you should be in close, physical proximity to are those who live in your home or coworkers if you are required to work in-person. Even if you know someone well, whether they are a friend or family member, you should not be near them. Because people do not always show obvious symptoms, the virus could easily be passed on without anyone realizing it.
Wearing Masks
For those times you do need to leave your house, wearing a face mask is very important. Countries and cities that heavily promoted the wearing of masks have documented how the spread of COVID-19 was less when compared to places whose citizens did not wear masks. The simple act of having a cloth to cover your breath works wonders for stopping this air contaminant.
A mask can be as simple as a bandana or a cut-up T-shirt. There are many good video recourses online on DIY masks, some of which do not even require sewing to make. You can also buy masks, but there are many health care professionals like doctors or nurses who rely on those masks for their work. Considering how at-risk these health workers are in these times, it is easy to help them just by making your own mask at home. All you really need is a cloth scrap that can cover your face from your nose down to your chin and two straps to make sure the mask stays on — one around your neck, the other at the top of your head. If you ever need to go out in public, wearing a mask not only protects you, but also everyone around you.
Maintaining Good Hygiene
Another simple way to help from home is by maintaining good hygiene, and most specifically, washing your hands. Because our hands are our main way of interacting with the world, they are the easiest way for germs to spread. Therefore, it is important to regularly wash your hands, especially after going outside or in public space.
The basic recommendation is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap for twenty seconds. It is important to wash your hands regularly, specifically after touching things that have been touched by or in the proximity others. General cleanliness also limits the amount of germs that might be transported. It is highly recommended to wash and sanitize areas that are commonly touched by people, like door knobs or seats. This also means it can be beneficial to not touch those areas or wear gloves when touching them. Maintaining good hygiene is something that can prevent sickness under normal circumstances, so in this when sickness is a higher risk, staying clean helps not just yourself but anyone you may be near.
Supporting Workers
Many people cannot help from home and must go in to work. Whether this is a financial decision or because their role needs to be carried out in person, some people just cannot quarantine themselves and are forced to face the risk of sickness. Healthcare professionals are one group that struggles greatly right now, because they are exposed to this disease on the daily, and sometimes without proper protection. There are not reliable safety measures to prevent them from getting sick, and their jobs are too important right now for them to take time off. This holds true for other businesses that cannot close, like take-out restaurants, public transport, grocery stores and banks.
Smaller local businesses also are hit hard, since most of their customers are deterred from continuing their regular business. With all of that in mind, finding ways to support these organizations can help a lot of people. Smaller businesses can be helped by doing online transactions with them. There are also many charities that assist those hurt most by the quarantine, and these charities could use any financial support you are able to give. Overall, it is important to remember how some workers are risking their health daily, and to do what you can to help them.
These are some of the basic things people can do to help from home. There are a lot of vague, unpredictable factors during this pandemic, and that can be frightening. But stressing out over the situation will not help solve anything. So for the people who want to help from home, it is most important that you take your health seriously. Even if you think that it is an overreaction, it is better safe than sorry. Do what you can to protect yourself and the people you care about by wearing masks, staying home, keeping clean, and supporting those who need it most.
