03/17/2020
10 good behaviors for living in a COVID-19 pandemic world.
*A few years ago, I conducted a small research project about microbes (bacteria, yeast, viruses, etc.) in my profession of making realistic prostheses. I am no expert on the subject so feel free to correct me if I state something incorrect. Chime in if you think of other behaviors we need to change.*
There is a lot of fear and panic right now so here is my opinion of how I believe you can rest assured that all will be fine. Yes, the stock market is wild right now (I am not going to give financial advice other than the economy will slow worldwide and it will be the new norm for everyone. It will eventually rebound because humans are amazing creatures). I am grateful for technology and how much we can do online. Circumstances like this push us to adopt new ways of doing things : ) This will make so much room for new growth and opportunity! I am excited for our future and you can be too.
We are all in this together whether we like it or not. We are all connected because we all still have to live our lives together. We need to buy groceries. We need to eat. We all have families and we all need to continue to work to live. We all need love and human touch. I would like to hit the pause button on life but it is not possible. So here are my tips for living in a COVID-19 world:
1. Do as much as you can outdoors. A virus needs a host to survive. It also needs an ideal environment. If a virus lives inside your airways, you should make it difficult for it to survive. Temperature variation, UV, and wind makes it more challenging for a virus to jump to another host and can potentially ball down the virus' DNA. The wind and sun in your face will also be good for your soul!
2. Wear a mask when you are in close proximity to another host, especially indoors! We need to in the USA. My clinic cannot stop because of this. When I am painting a prosthesis for a patient, I must get close to them. In order to protect myself and others, I use a mask. Any mask likely helps prevent a virus from jumping hosts. Remember COVID-19 is an airborne virus as well!
3. Stay home as much as possible and do more as a family! Spend time together eating meals, playing games, and asking intentional questions. Spend less time on social media if it is making you fearful. Take advantage of this unique time and make it quality.
4. If you need to find someone to watch your children, choose someone with good hygiene that does not have an infant and is not elderly or immunocompromised.
5. If you find yourself looking for temporary work, something is better than nothing. Pick an industry that needs help and you. Be adaptable and don't play victim. Be a hero and make a difference in the world!
6. Your child’s school and learning can be put on hold. They are not in a race against their peers to become the smartest. A few weeks or months is not going to make a big difference in their development either. Allow them to read anything! Comic books, encyclopedias, novels, textbooks, etc. It does not matter!
7. Greet people at the door and chat outside your home. Do not invite people into your home unless you know they take the same precautions you take. This is difficult to know so it is better to play it safe and keep your distance in the outdoors if you want and need to communicate with others. You do not know what they have been exposed to. Symptoms for viral infections do not typically show for 3-5 days. During this time, these people are contagious.
8. Wipe down hard surfaces before you use them – especially if they were touched by someone else in the last 24 hours. Solid surfaces such as plastic or metal allow the DNA of the virus to stay intact (and potentially infectious) longer than soft surfaces because the moisture in the virus has nowhere to go. Do not let others touch your phone. Wash your hands before and after your use it. Wipe down your shopping cart. Wash your hands a lot. Here is a good introductory article about viruses https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/how-long-do-cold-and-flu-viruses-stay-contagious-on-public-surfaces.
9. Humans have a terrible habit of touching their own face, eyes, nose and mouth. On average, humans touch their faces 15 times in one hour. If you need to, use a tissue! Do not wipe eye boogies with your fingers. Do not pick your nose. Soft surfaces suck the moisture from a virus and the DNA breaks down faster. Wash your hands right after. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. If it is disgusting, you should not do it for this reason too. If you catch yourself with a disgusting behavior, use it as a reminder to wash your hands.
10. Amazingly, our skin stops viruses very well because the other good microbes that live on our skin can break it down (watch this fascinating documentary on Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/Life-Us-Microscopic-Annamaria-Talas/dp/B01LXKMUUU ) in about 20 minutes. However, if you have a cut on your hands you should wear a bandage or gloves and be certain to wipe down that grocery cart! Again, do not touch your mouth, nose, or even your face because that is obviously an easy way to get COVID-19 in your airway.
If we want to stop the spread of this virus and continue living normal lives, we all must adopt new behaviors. We can do this!
