In a press conference held on March 5, the World Health Organization assured us that it is now time to take action and it is the responsibility of every citizen to do their part to control the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
The good news is that we have been taking steps to prepare ourselves, our family and this community for years and as the WHO Director-General says, “Now is the time to act on those plans.”
Rather than running out to the store to stock up on things like toilet paper, here’s what you can do that can actually keep you safe.
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**Note, this isn’t fear-mongering or hype… when asked by a media reporter “Is this really that dire?” the WHO panel was very clear that we are on the edge of what can turn into a worldwide pandemic that is completely controllable.
First, let’s start with some common sense.
Avoid places where a lot of people gather…
Especially ones where sick people head to… like the pharmacy.
When I saw on the news the droves of people clamoring to the big box stores, I was dumb founded. In a situation where we have no idea how many people are infected or have been exposed, there is no way in hell you’ll find me in the middle of all that nonsense.
Instead, take advantage of delivery services such as shipt, amazon, or your local store’s curbside pick up.
I’d especially avoid stores that are a pharmacy or have a clinic inside like Target or CVS. There are actively sick people in those places and who knows what they have touched as they walked around the store.
If you must go to the store, use automatic doors, bring your own bags to avoid touching shopping carts and be religious in your handwashing. I cannot emphasize this enough.
You may even consider wearing gloves to prevent infection.
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All it takes is for one cashier to come into contact with one infected person – when is the last time you saw a cashier clean their hands… before or after touching all of your food?
When you get home, wash or disinfect everything that you can. Purchase foods that have been packaged and sealed at the source of origin or that you can heat on the stove or the oven.
If it came from the deli, and it can’t be cooked, don’t eat it.
Vinegar and veggie washes are available and kill bacteria.
Even the top of your water bottle was touched by someone before it went on the shelf.
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Avoid eating at fast food or food made to eat and served by a person outside of your house. Even with stringent hand washing policies in place at any business, you are putting your trust into that employee to do it 100% correctly 100% of the time.
Even if prepared food is delivered to you can easily be contaminated before you eat it.
If it wasn’t made by you or a family member in your own home, under your own supervision, and you can’t wash it or cook it, don’t eat it.
Avoid using public or shared transportation.
You probably know that a crowded subway, trolley, or bus would be an easy place to catch a contagious disease, but don’t think you are safe if you’re using a rideshare app for transportation.
Think about how many people come in and out of the back seat of a car on a given shift. How often have you seen a driver get out and disinfect their car?
Where did that driver just come from? The airport? The hospital? His cousin’s house who has a weird pneumonia like cough?
If you must use a rideshare or public form of transportation, remember to wash your hands like your life depends on it and take all measures to keep yourself from coming into contact with people more than absolutely necessary.
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The CDC still holds fast that the very best way to be safe is to wash wash wash your hands!
This will at least give you some barrier of protection and help you avoid getting sick.
