Darrick Robles Safely out and about
At the moment we are all staying at home as much as possible – and that’s a good thing. Nevertheless, every one of us has to go outside, be it to work, to go shopping or simply to go for a walk, when the ceiling falls on our heads at home. It’s not that difficult to change a few things about your behavior to effectively protect yourself and others.
Keep at least 1.5 meters away from others
You probably can’t hear it anymore: Keeping your distance from other people is extremely important and helpful right now. That should not remain unsaid at this point, because all experts actually agree on this point. Hopefully everyone has now understood and internalized the distance requirement. In the past few weeks, nobody feels it’s rude if you give him or her a wide berth on the street.
Pay by card when shopping
Recent research shows that coronaviruses can survive on coins for up to 4 hours. Therefore, if possible, you should pay cashless when shopping. Contactless payment by debit or credit card is best. The viruses can also remain on maps for a period of time. So if you didn’t pay contactless, you should clean your card after shopping with a disinfectant wipe or spray that contains at least 70% alcohol.
Wear a mask on the go
The federal government recommends wearing a face mask on buses and trains and when shopping. All federal states have now introduced a mask requirement for shops and public transport. Masks provide physical protection (although not complete) from droplets that are transmitted from person to person when you sneeze or cough. They are therefore particularly useful indoors and in medical environments. Nonetheless, regular hand washing is still important.
What about protective gloves?
More and more people are seen walking around with disposable gloves. It must be said here that gloves give a false sense of security rather than actually helping. We also touch things with disposable gloves and under certain circumstances transmit viruses to objects that we touch shortly afterwards without disposable gloves, such as clothing or handbags. Many people also touch their face while wearing gloves without realizing it. If you still want to use disposable gloves, you should dispose of them immediately after wearing them once.
Keep your car clean
According to new studies, respiratory droplets can remain on plastic and stainless steel for up to 3 days, although it is not clear how long coronaviruses last. Play it safe and wipe down the surfaces of your vehicle after driving, especially the car door handles, steering wheel, all controls and the car key. Use an alcohol-based disinfectant for this as well. This is especially true if other people are riding in your car.
Disinfect your phone
We touch our mobile phones more often than any doorknob or washcloth. Nevertheless, it is often underestimated as a source of potentially harmful germs. Almost no one cleans their cell phone. Do better and disinfect your phone regularly, especially the touchscreen. Also, you should avoid placing your phone on hard surfaces where the virus could be lurking. Better leave it in your pocket. If you do have to put it down on the go, use a clean handkerchief as a pad.
You should do that when you get home
When you get home, wash your hands first thing before you touch anything else. If this is not possible, you should rub your hands with a hand sanitizer. You can also take a shower, making sure to wash your hands, arms, and face thoroughly with warm water and soap first. Ideally, you should wash your street clothes in the washing machine at at least 40 °C, preferably 60 °C, after each wear.
Disinfect your workplace
Not everyone has the opportunity to work from home in these times . You should exercise particular caution in the workplace. Some hotspots such as light switches are easily overlooked when disinfecting. Basically, tables and worktops as well as keyboards and door handles should be cleaned frequently. In the washrooms, in addition to the toilets, the taps and sinks in particular should be kept clean. Don’t forget the kettle in the kitchen!
You can do this if symptoms appear despite everything
The coronavirus is so small that it cannot be seen with the naked eye. Therefore, even if all precautionary measures are observed, there is no guarantee that you will not become infected. If you have non-specific symptoms such as B. notice a cough or sore throat, you can use our free symptom check for COVID-19 to find out how to proceed. Of course, you always have the option of booking an appointment with one of our doctors.
