How to keep your family safe this winter amidst the coronavirus pandemic?
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
The whole world has been in turmoil for most of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It doesn’t matter where you are in the country or what you do for work, we have all been affected by COVID-19 in one way or another. And with winter here, there is a greater risk of contracting the virus and for many, getting seriously ill from it. To help keep you and your loved ones safe, here is a guide on what safety precautions you can utilize today.
Encourage hand washing
If you have young children, getting them into the routine of washing their hands is important. Although most children will only have mild or no symptoms at all from COVID-19, should they pass the virus on to you or a senior family member, this can have serious consequences. Whether you’ve been out grocery shopping, or your kids have gone to play outside, make sure that they wash their hands with soap and water once returning home.
Wear a face covering
When you’re running daily errands, you must wear a face-covering to protect others from contracting COVID-19. While the original focus of wearing masks was to benefit others, updated guidelines have shown that you too can benefit from wearing a mask, such as reducing your exposure to infectious droplets. If your kids are aged 12 or over, they are advised by the WHO (World Health Organization) to wear a face covering.
Maintain social distancing
Whether you’re at the grocery store, heading to work, or catching the subway, you must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Being in close proximity to others will increase your risk of contracting the coronavirus, so try and keep a 1-meter distance between you and others where possible. And if you’re going out to eat with your family, restaurants should have social distancing measures in place already and hand sanitizer stations that you can all use to protect others.
Clean and disinfect
If there is one thing you have complete control of, it’s the cleanliness of your home. When out and about, you cannot control how many people will be around you and who will have the virus. However, at home, you can regularly clean and disinfect to reduce the risk of catching COVID-19. Make sure that frequently touched surfaces are cleaned throughout the day, especially if you’re having family over for the holidays.
Know the signs
Knowledge is power, which is why you need to know and recognize the signs of coronavirus. The main symptoms of COVID-19 are a persistent cough and a high temperature. If you suspect you or a loved one has caught the virus, you must stay at home and get tested immediately. Should a family member fall ill, you will need to isolate to protect those around you.
Once you learn more about how the coronavirus spreads and what steps to take to keep you and your loved ones safe, you can significantly reduce the risk of contracting and transmitting COVID-19 to those around you.