The Hygienic Practices You Must Follow after Going Outside in the Age of COVID-19

There’s a reason why health experts are telling us to stay at home as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to loom as a potential threat. Home is basically the safest place for many of us at the moment.

Still, not all of us can afford to stay at home for an indefinite period of time.

Some of us still need to head outside every now and then to make grocery runs, drop by the pharmacy, or even go to work. As scary as it to be outside at this time, it may even be more frightening to head home knowing you may unwittingly expose your loved ones to the novel coronavirus.

You can do something about that though.

By developing a few hygienic habits, it’s possible to effectively minimize the chances of the virus infiltrating your home because of you.
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Always Prioritize Washing Your Hands

Health experts have been consistently touting the benefits of hand washing in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, you have been taking their advice to heart.

Soap will kill the virus if it’s present on your hands. All you need to do is wash for the appropriate amount of time.

Cleaning your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds should be enough to kill the coronavirus. You can even use cold water if that’s more convenient. UNICEF notes that cold and warm water are just as effective against COVID-19 as long as you use them together with soap.
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Clean Your Face Mask Right Away

After getting home, one of the first things many of us do is remove our face masks. But what do you do after that?

As much as possible, you should avoid leaving your used face mask on a table or countertop somewhere. It would be best to wash it right away to get rid of any germs it may have accumulated during your trip outside.

For those who are using surgical masks, those items must be placed inside a plastic bag first before being thrown away, according to Web MD.

They must also be worn just once.


To Shower or Not to Shower

Speaking to NPR, Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health notes that showering after getting home is not always a must.

There’s nothing wrong with showering after you get home, but it’s not necessary in many cases. Washing your hands will suffice.

However, Rasmussen does point out that showering may be more advisable for people who share homes with kids. That’s due to how careless kids may be when it comes to where they place their hands.

It’s important to remember that we are not powerless against the novel coronavirus. By following best practices while outside and after you reach home, you can significantly reduce the chances of anyone in your family being infected.

Watching out for each other is a must during these trying times and you can do that by simply being diligent with your hygiene.