Although the total number of covid-19 positive cases has crossed 10 lacs in India, the government has given relaxations for the movement of individuals and goods long back. The decision of unlocking the country in phases can’t even be criticized as the economy had been at a standstill and survival requires money. With the unlocking of the nation and in fact the world without having any coronavirus vaccine so far, the responsibility of being cautious and preventive lies with us! Therefore, it becomes important to keep yourself and your home disinfected.
Personal Hygiene
Let us first see how you can keep yourself away from corona virus.
Stay at home
Although the government has eased down restrictions and malls, parks etc. have been opened, corona virus isn’t gone. So, you can’t get back to your routine life and have fun. You must stay at home as much as you can and move out only for essentials. Only this will ensure you do not get back home with virus.
Wash your hands
I know you have heard it a million times by now, but I can’t stress enough upon its importance because it is just so important to wash your hands to get rid-off viruses and bacteria. You must wash your times multiple times throughout the day and every-time you touch a surface or come from outside. But make sure you spend 20-30 seconds doing that.
Wear mask
Mask is yet another mandate amid covid-19. Invest in some re-usable masks and wear one every time you step out of the home. Make sure you do not remove mask when outside or when you have someone near to you. Mask not just prevents you from getting the virus but also constrains its transmission.
Social distancing
Another effective preventive measure you must not miss is following social distancing. As per guidelines issued, there must be at a distance of at least 6 feet individuals. So, whether you are going to purchase anything or make visit to some place, don’t forget to maintain this distance.
The FSSAI has also released other tips to maintain good hygiene and sanitation while shopping for food and eating right. Take a look:
Take-off footwear
Footwear is yet another important part of your belongings that you bring along and has a high risk of transmitting the virus. Especially in a country like India where people spit on roads intentionally or unintentionally to spread the virus, one must be vigilant. For this, it is suggested to take out your footwear before your door and enter the house.
ALSO READ: COVID-19: TESTING, GUIDELINES AND PREVENTION
Sanitizing
Apart from keeping yourself clean by washing hands frequently, you also need to ensure that your belongings and surroundings are disinfected too! Here’s how you should clean them:
Fruits and vegetables
When you get fruits and veggies to your home for consumption it is important to clean it well because it directly gets into our body. It is not recommended to sanitize these as it may not be safe for consumption. In order to clean them follow the below steps:
- Keep the bag loaded with veggies away from the main area of your house.
- Take them out and put in a bucket filled with warm water.
- You can either keep them in water for an hour or add apple cider vinegar into the water and wash them thoroughly.
ALSO KNOW: COVID-19: HOW FAR HAVE WE REACHED?
Clothes
Many people consider washing hands as enough even when entering home from outside. But honestly that is NOT ENOUGH! When you go about every part of you is exposed and you must always consider yourself as a carrier of virus and follow all steps of disinfecting to prevent the spread. For this should consider washing your clothes as follows:
- Remove clothes as soon as you reach home.
- Fill a bucket with hot water and add a detergent with bleach.
- Soak your clothes in the solution for at least 4-5 hours before washing (prefer using a washing machine).
- After washing and drying them, make sure you sanitize your hands.
Phone or spectacles
When you go out you also carry your phone and spectacles, and not disinfecting them may increase your risk of getting infected. In order to clean your phone, soak little sanitizer in cotton and wipe it along with the cover. You can also remove phone cover. But, ensure that disinfectant doesn’t get into your phone or else it may cause issues.
For spectacles, spray little bit of sanitizer onto the sticks as well as lens and wipe with a clean cloth.
Masks
If your wear medical masks, dispose them off by wrapping and putting in a close bin. For reusable or cloth masks, you can disinfect them in detergent water or water with an antiseptic solution like Dettol. And allow them to dry.
Car
If you own a car and travel to places amid corona, you have to ensure its cleaning. There’s no rocket- science in the cleaning car. Just that your car seats or other surfaces may get damaged if you use a bleach-based solution to clean. Thus, stick to alcohol-based sanitizer and gently clean with a micro-fiber cloth. Also, ensure that you clean all the surfaces and most importantly, wash your hands before and after driving.
Disinfecting Home With Any Covid-19 Patient
Above were some guidelines to be followed as a general preventive measure for covid-19. But what if someone in your home has already been tested positive and undergoing treatment or is in self-quarantine? Don’t stress yourself too much, just follow some extra precautions:
Dedicate separate area
If your home is big enough to dedicate one whole room and bathroom to the COVID patient, that’s the best you can do. Ensure that no other person enters or uses it.
Disinfect place
In case the patient needs a caregiver to carry out certain things, make sure you wear gloves and mask whenever having any contact with the infected.
Don’t forget mask
The important of mask is undefinable during this time, but when you have any Covid patient at your home, it goes without saying that the patient must wear mask at least when in contact with any other family member.
High touch surfaces
Apart from the regular cleaning, there should be special disinfecting in any house with Covid patients. For this, identify the high-touch surfaces or where the infected is likely to touch. It can be the knob of door or bathroom, flush button, electricity switches, bed or anything you see them touching. For this, you must wear gloves and mask, clean the surface with detergent and then use disinfectant.
Leave it locked
In case the room or any area of house is not in use, clean it, disinfect it and leave it for 3-4 days or even a week before re-using or entering there so that the virus actually gets killed.
You can also go through these detailed cleansing guidelines issued for quarantine facility!
