5 Tips to Make it Through this COVID-19 Outbreak Season

_{| Tuesday March 31, 2020}

The recent COVID-19 outbreak has shocked the world by taking lives and disrupting our everyday lifestyle. In this unfortunate time of pandemic, perhaps it is now more important than ever for us to rapidly adapt to a brand-new way of life, particularly on how we practice personal hygiene. COVID-19 knows no boundaries, and everyone on earth could easily infected. Here’s what you can do to support the fight against the virus and power through the pandemic so that life goes back to normal as soon as possible:

 

1. Wash your hands with soap frequently

Hand-washing is not only the first advice you get whenever there’s a virus outbreak like COVID-19, but also a habit that everyone should inculcate.

Wash your hands as often as possible, especially after you’ve sneezed, coughed or blown your nose. The one rule to stand by is to wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly, including your fingernails, as well as in between your fingers. The 20-second rule will make sure you’re reaching into every nook and cranny to make sure everything is clean. Unsure how long 20 seconds is? Simply sing the birthday song twice while thoroughly scrubbing your hands, and before you know it, 20 seconds are over.

Washing your hands with soap and water is always your best bet at removing unwanted germs and bacteria on your skin. However, if soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer. Make sure to cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Also, keep your hands off your face if you haven’t washed your hands.

 

2. Visit the doctor if sick, and stay home afterwards

If you’re sick, seek medical treatment early. After visiting the doctor, please head home immediately, and avoid loitering outside. This is because as a sick person, you need to rest to get better, and unknown germs and bacteria outside of home may slow your recovery process. Moreover, staying home when you are sick is socially responsible as you are not out spreading your germs and bacteria around.

Also, before and after visiting the doctor, wear a facemask whenever possible, especially when there are people around.

 

3. Practice social distancing

Although we can’t stay away from people entirely, we need to make sure we’re being as socially responsible as possible. One way to do that is to keep a safe distance, preferably 1m away from others to avoid any spread of the virus. Avoid large-group gatherings with friends and family, and avoid larger gatherings in spaces like pubs, bars, restaurants, cinemas and theatres. If need be, switch to video calls and instant messaging chats instead having of face-to-face meetings.

As you know, our hands are unsurprisingly dirty as they come into contact with countless surfaces every day. So, refrain from shaking hands and replace with a handwave, air-five, or otherwise.

 

4. Cover your mouth and nose if you need to cough or sneeze

Sneeze and cough germs spread far and fast. One of the greatest hygiene etiquettes to practice is to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze to help stop the spread of germs. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. Trash your used tissue immediately in a wastebasket.

 

5. Shower immediately when you get home

Germs and bacteria can stay active on our bodies for hours, or even days. If you don’t have the habit of going into the showers after you get home, it’s time to make a change. A quick shower under the water is not as effective if you do not use soap and some scrubbing to remove the strong, glue-like interactions between the skin and the virus.

In these uncertain times, every simple action like the above can go a long way in slowing down the spread of COVID-19. Let’s all be socially responsible and practice good hygiene for ourselves, and for the benefit of our loved ones around us.

This friendly reminder is brought to you by Rheem Manufacturing Company