Countries, states and cities across the world are experiencing restrictions and lockdowns as part of an effort to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus and its resulting disease, COVID-19. While most are allowed out for essential errands like going to the grocery store and pharmacy, and picking up food to go, you'll still need to be careful to minimize your risk of exposure to yourself and others.
Social distancing and thoroughly washing your hands is still an essential policy, and global health professionals and leadership ask that you reserve N95 face masks for the medical community.
The coronavirus known officially as SARS-CoV-2 is easily spread, but you can apply common-sense techniques when you do need to resupply while you self-quarantine.
1. Enough with the fingertips: Use your knees, feet, elbows and knuckles instead
If you're still pressing elevator buttons with your fingertips, stop. Any time you have to open a door, push a button, pull a lever or digitally sign for something, use a different body part instead. You have plenty.
For example, you can tap out a PIN code with your knuckle instead of the pad of your finger, or push open a door with your shoulder, hip or foot instead of your hands.
You can usually flip on a light switch or sink faucet with your elbow or wrist, and you can wrap the sleeve of your sweater or jacket around the handle of doors you have to physically pull open. It's easy enough to toss your clothing into the wash later rather than expose your skin now, especially if the chances you'll use your hands to touch food items is high (e.g. you're opening the door to a coffee shop).
2. Look for the automatic option
Most modern buildings have accessibility buttons to open doors for people with mobility concerns. You can easily touch this with your forearm, hip or foot (some are pretty low down) and wait the few seconds for the doors to open.
Consider buying an automatic soap dispenser for home so you don't have to worry about transferring germs to the pump.
3. Pay attention to where you put your phone down
While we've gotten the go ahead to use disinfecting wipes on phones, another smart idea is to avoid placing your device on iffy surfaces to begin with. Do you really need to take your phone into the bathroom stall with you, or can you just leave it in a coat pocket or purse? The less you can expose your phone to shared surfaces, the less you need to worry about it in the first place.
When you're anywhere with a shared surface, lay down a napkin and set your phone on that. It'll save you having to disinfect your phone quite so often.
4. Bring your own shopping bags
If you haven't started bringing your own shopping bags to the grocery store, now's a good time. Doing so puts you more in control over who touches your groceries. Using your own tote bag means you're not pushing a cart or carrying a basket touched by dozens of others -- not every store provides sanitary wipes at the door. And packing a tote full of smaller produce bags means you won't give a second thought to the prudence of grabbing bags from individual produce bag dispensers along with everyone else.
By all means, if you don't have any small bags at home, use the store-supplied variety, but consider returning with them next time -- so long as you're well. For other peoples' comfort, keep your own bag in the tote or basket and put the produce directly into it. The point is to reduce any potential cross-contamination.
5. Don't sort through produce with your bare hands
When sorting through food, stick your hand inside a fresh bag and use the outside like a glove to pick up and inspect the garlic and oranges you want, so as not to touch every item with your bare hands.
You can toss larger cloth bags into the wash to sanitize them after a shop, and keep smaller plastic or biodegradable bags for future trips, even rinsing them under hot water for good measure. Just completely dry them first. As always, thoroughly wash your hands when you get home, as well as any produce you use.
6. Greet people like this, not that
Millions of people are self-isolating, but on the off-chance you do see a family member, friend or neighbor, resist the urge to hug, lean in for a peck, a pat on the back or handshake. Also rule out elbow bumps and toe-taps.
Remember, even if you feel fine personally, social distancing is a compassionate way to protect people in vulnerable demographics, like your elderly relatives and those with health complications. It isn't always apparent when someone has a compromised immune system or other invisible underlying health concern.
7. Wash your hands every time you get 'home'
As soon as you get home, wash your hands even before using the toilet.
8. Carry extra napkins, disinfecting wipes and facial tissue
Packing extra tissues, disinfecting wipes, wet wipes and other paper products in your purse should become part of your habit.
Today, these products could come in handy to clear away germs, or act as a barrier between you (or your phone) and a surface. For example, opening a door handle if you just saw someone cough into their hands before turning a knob.
9. Stop handling cash
Cash is already considered dirty -- you never know what kind of germs linger on its surface. If you can pay with a debit or credit card instead of handling bills and coins, you could reduce that icky feeling that you don't know where your money's been.
And remember, if a digital signature is required, you can use your knuckle instead of your index finger. For a physical signature, start packing your own pen.
10. Banish questionable items to a 9-day time out
The novel coronavirus can cling to surfaces, such as your jacket or a tabletop, for up to nine days at room temperature, studies have found. After that, it's thought to die and no longer be able to infect you.
We know that a thorough cleaning with good ol' soap and water will kill the virus' structure, but if you're not sure how to disinfect an item, like a dry-clean-only jacket or pair of boots, setting it aside for 9 days is another option.
Since COVID-19 incubates in the body from one to 14 days, you can extend the time out to two weeks if you're extra concerned.
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