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How To Be Safe Outside During Coronavirus
Throughout this pandemic, there hasn’t been a shortage on people who aren’t being safe and people who unfortunately suffer because of those unsafe people. While we can’t stop the protesters, we can do our part to be safe and try to shorten this seemingly endless quarantine. So today, we’re talking about PPE, holistic protocols you can take, and a few more tips & tricks to keep safe while shopping for essentials.
The Importance of This Safety
First and foremost, when you practice safety it reduces the chances of high-risk people contracting the virus. There are high-risk people who are considered essential workers as well. Their work increases when people aren’t being safe. We want to lower their workload and worries as well as any chance they have of being infected. I realize that I’m taking a very serious and no nonsense tone with this and that’s because this is serious.
So many people aren’t practicing even the bare minimum when it comes to safety during this pandemic and the numbers are increasing rapidly. A lot of people who have the virus are essential workers. Each and every one of them are risking their lives everyday they do their job. They’re true heroes. Yet, many are overlooking them and making their lives & jobs much much harder.
However, this will not only keep others safe but you as well. You want to be as safe as possible from this, right? I do too. So, let’s review a few critical things to keep you safe.
Coronavirus Fashion
We’ve been told over and over again to wear masks and gloves if you’re leaving your house. But how do you wear them for optimal safety and prevention? Well, I’m going to tell you how.
Wearing a Face Mask:
You might have noticed that there are a lot of different varieties of face masks out there from disposables to washables. Personally, I go for the washable ones because I can cycle through them without running out or wasting materials. However, I wear glasses and like many other spectacle wearers, I fear my breath fogging up my glasses. So how do you wear them comfortably, properly, and well enough to not fog up your eye holes?
According to the CDC, when you have a face mask it should do the following when it’s worn properly:
Be secured with ear loops or ties
Be able to be washed and dried without being damaged or misshapen
Allow unrestrictive breathing
Fit snuggly yet comfortably against the sides of your face
Cover your nose and mouth without gaps between you and the mask
If, by chance, you’re wearing glasses, just fit them right over the upper part of the mask. This ensures no fog and further secures the mask to your face. Alternatively, you can wash your glasses with soap and water to prevent fog. There shouldn’t be able slipping or moving on the mask‘s part.
Here are a few more things to keep in mind about wearing a face mask:
Wash your hands before and after use with either an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
Avoid touching your mask or anywhere on your face. If you need to, wash your hands.
When you feel it getting damp, replace it immediately. Don’t reuse single-use masks
Remove your mask from behind and discard immediately then WASH YOUR HANDS
Single-use masks are biohazard so be careful when you dispose of them.
Wearing Gloves:
There is NO point in wearing gloves unless you’re changing them after everything you touch. Gloves are just like hands when it comes to spreading bacteria. They give you a false sense of security and are hardly ever disposed of correctly. However, since people will do it anyways I have a few pieces of advice:
When you’re wearing gloves, DON’T touch any of your personal items or your body.
Wash your hands between uses
Don’t think that just because you have gloves on, you won’t come in contact with bacteria. You will. At a worse rate.
DO NOT touch other people or let other people touch you wit’s gloves on
These are bio-hazardous material so THROW IT AWAY CAREFULLY
Here’s how you take your gloves off according to the CDC:
Grasp the outside of one glove at the wrist. DO NOT touch with bare skin
Peel the glove away from your body, pulling it inside out
Hold the glove you just removed in your gloved hand
Peel off the second glove by putting your fingers inside the glove at the top of your wrist
Turn the second glove inside out while pulling it away from your body, leaving the first glove inside the second
Dispose of them safely and DO NOT reuse
Clean your hands immediately after removal
Clothing Choices:
Did you know that fabric breeds bacteria? Yeah, it was news to me too! Bacteria clings to fabric from the environment. It’s why dirty clothes get that gross smell.
The bacteria comes from all around but when you sweat, that’s when the bacteria really clings on. It’s a damp environment in which bacteria can multiply. Cue the sounds of disgust.
While a lot of bacteria can be washed away at high enough temperatures, there are types of fabric that hold bacteria-carrying germs in their very fibers. This can’t be washed away and creates a breeding ground for filth. Fabrics that have these germs are polyester and all synthetic fabrics.
So, what should we do? My advice is go organic! It’s pricey but when you wear organic threads you’ll feel better and more comfortable. Plus the manufacturers take good care of the crop.
Washing Your Hands
I’ve probably typed it out over a hundred times over the passed few months and it should be a no-brainer but I’m going to say it louder for the people in the back.
YOU NEED TO WASH YOUR HANDS REGULARLY.
I do not mean a quick rinse under water or a little 20-second baby hand washing. I’m talking about getting in there and washing like you’re washing a pan with stuck-on crud with a little food scraper.
When Should You Wash Your Hands?
Before eating food
After using the toilet
Before, during, and after preparing food
After changing diapers or cleaning a child who’s just used the toilet
Before and after caring for someone who is sick
After touching an animal, animal feed, or waste
Before and after treating a cut or wound
Before, between changing, and after wearing gloveS
After touching garbage
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After handling pet food or treats
After being in a public space and/or touching an item or surface that may be frequented by the public
Before touching your eyes, mouth, nose, ears, or any other personal orifices
How To Wash Your Hands by the CDC:
Wet your hand with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn it off, then apply soap
Lather your hands (back of your hands, between your fingers, your wrists, under your nails, and don‘t forget the thumbs)
Scrub your hands for AT LEAST 20 seconds (the length of Happy Birthday)
Rinse your hands thoroughly under clean, running water
Dry your hands with a clean towel or air dry them
Preventing Dry and Cracked Hands from Frequent Washes:
When you’re always washing your hands, they will eventually start to get dry and crack. This gives germs an opportunity to infect you and not to mention it hurts a lot. Your hands are sensitive and when you get injured there, you really feel it. So here’s how you keep them from drying and cracking:
Avoid using too much soap (not a thick lather, just a nice bubbly one)
Use warm water when washing your hands, not hot
Pat your hands dry with a towel
Apply moisturizer to dried hands (keep travel sized bottles all around)
Use fragrance free soaps and creams
Vaseline is very nice for dry hands
Use over night moisturizing gloves (put a ton of moisturizer in gloves and wear them over night; it works for feet too)
How To Make A Face Mask
My mom recently made us a lot of face masks with her quilting fabric. This helps because it wastes less, they’re washable, and they fit perfectly to our faces. So let’s make some masks!
Elastic Face Mask
Face Mask with Ties
FAQs About Safety
”Why aren’t gloves safe?”
Because of the bacteria that sticks to them and cross contamination.
”What is cross contamination?”
It’s when the bacteria of two or more sources interact with each other. The easiest example to use is when raw chicken touches a ready-to-eat salad.
“Why should I stay 6ft away from other people?”
As of right now, we know that COVID-19 spreads at close range and is transmitted through the air.
”Why wear face masks?”
COVID-19 can travel from person to person via close range air.
”Should I buy all the supplies from he store?”
No! Please don’t hoard everything from the store. This is rude, inconsiderate, and just plain wrong.
”Should I keep up to date?”
YES! Watch the news for updates, check online for updates. Keep yourself informed!
”When should I leave my house?”
When you’re getting essentials or going for a walk. On these walks, keep away from people. I take daily routes in super unpopulated areas in my neighborhood so interaction is limited.
”When do I wear my mask?”
If you’re stepping foot outside of your property, have a mask on.
”What can I do to help essential workers?”
STAY HOME. I can’t emphasize this enough; when you do what you’re supposed to, things get better faster.
I wrote this article because my mom is an essential worker. She goes out everyday and risks her health and life so people can get what they need. There are many people like that. These people are heroes. However, when I see people leaving their house to visit significant others or hang out in big groups, my heart hurts. It’s as if they’re taking the sacrifices of these workers and throwing it in their faces. So, please, stay home, stay safe, and stay occupied. This will not last forever If we‘re all smart.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and I have never played one on TV. I can only relay the information that I have researched. Consult a medical professional if need be.
How To Be Safe Outside During the Coronavirus was researched, written, and edited by Emmalie Roberts. For more articles, check out our blog page, here, and don't forget to follow us on social media, here, for daily tips, tricks, and reminders for your path to holistic health.