Pandemic Diaries Entry # 3

 

I recently listened to a webinar about COVID and chronic illnesses. One of my key takeaways is the term "COVID Prevention Triad," composed of wearing face masks and face shields, hand washing, and observing physical distance.

Since I have discussed the importance of face masks, let us now talk about the importance of handwashing in preventing the spread of the COVID virus. Also, which is more effective in cleaning the hands, soap, or alcohol?

Germs, Don't Pass it to Others

Did you know that you can introduce germs to your body if you touch a contaminated surface and touch either your mouth, eyes, or nose? If you eat without washing your hands, you spread germs to your body as well. On the other hand, if you use your contaminated hand to touch other surfaces you will spread germs to other people.

Do you know what will happen if you use your hand to cover your mouth to sneeze, and you touch other people? You’re right! You passed your germs to them as well. So, what can you do to prevent this from happening?

Mommy says, “Wash Your Hands”

Any soap, even an inexpensive one, can kill the germs that we might be carrying in our hands. Soap and clean water is the best combination to have clean hands. You know the drill:

·      wet your hands with water

·      rub your hands with a soap bar or liquid soap

·      scrub your hands

·      rinse your hands with clean water

·      dry your hands with clean tissue or cloth

You need to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to effectively remove any germs in your hands. You can sing "Happy Birthday" twice while washing.

Washing hands should be a habit, with or without the pandemic. Since the beginning of time, our mothers have been reminding us to wash our hands before eating. We are also reminded to wash hands after using the toilet.

You should wash your hands often when you are cooking. This is an effective way to prevent the spread of germs in the food.

Since the pandemic, I prefer staying at home. I only leave home to get to work. And I try to complete my grocery list so that I won’t have to go to the store often. If I have important transactions, I try to do as many as I can so I don’t have to go out again.

And for those rare occasions that I need to go out, I promised myself that I would bring my own liquid soap. This means I won’t have to worry when the soap in the public restroom ran out. I’ll never have to experience wanting to wash my hands, only to find out that there is no more soap in the dispenser.

Soap versus alcohol

You might ask, "What if I'm outside my house but I don't have access to soap and water?" Your other option would be to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean your hands.

If you are outside, you might want to wipe with alcohol the surface you’re touching. When I’m doing the grocery, I would spray alcohol on the cart handle (and wipe it with a tissue) before I use the grocery cart. On the other hand, I spray alcohol on my hand before I touch the ATM and other similar machines. After the transaction, I spray alcohol on my hands again. I know I'm not overreacting.

But which is more effective in cleaning your hands? Let’s look at this video from TedEd that I found on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7KKkElpyKQ

Although water and soap are still more effective in washing hands, taking along a bottle of alcohol with you also helps.

Pandemic Diaries Entry # 2

 

Wearing face masks is our basic line of defense against the COVID virus. It is one way to protect us from the virus. And if you are a carrier, you protect the others around you from getting infected.

There are different kinds of face masks. There are surgical masks, N95, washable masks, etc. Experts have advised which are effective in preventing the virus.

For surgical masks, wear 3-ply for better protection. And make sure that the chin, nose, and mouth are covered. Wearing surgical masks is advisable if you are taking care of a sick family member.

For medical workers, wearing N95 is advisable if they will come in contact with aerosol droplets. N95 provides a snug fit and gives better protection for the wearer.

Surgical masks and N95 should be disposed of properly. These should be thrown in a separate and covered trash bin. We don’t want the virus to spread further. During the early months of the quarantine period, it has been a concern for garbage collectors because the face masks are thrown together with the ordinary garbage.

Washable masks are for everyday use. I think that washable masks would lessen the expense of buying masks because you can keep washing the one you have. Of course, make sure to wash it properly. Either scrub it by hand or put it in the washing machine. But use enough soap and water to remove the virus.

Who can wear face masks?

Initially, face masks are fitted for adults. The ones available on the market are for adults. And you either have to go online or specialty shops to buy a smaller size. After all, children are supposed to remain indoors for their safety. Younger children might find it difficult to breathe through a mask. So you might think that there’s no need to provide a mask for them, right?

With the easing of quarantine restrictions, some circumstances make it okay to bring the children outside, like going to the doctor. But I still won’t advocate going out of town with the young ones, even if they stay inside the private vehicles.

Going back to my topic, I have seen super cute face masks for children. These are even printed and come in different colors. It’s a bit pricey compared with the regular surgical masks, though.

How to remove masks

And now it’s time to remove the masks. When you get home, have a dedicated trash bin for your disposable masks. Remove your mask from the strap, and fold it without touching the outer part. I would recommend tearing the straps before discarding since there have been reports of other people re-using face masks found in trash cans. I haven’t verified the accuracy, but you can never be too sure.

But what I’ve seen in social media are individuals reusing the masks to plant seedlings. There’s this one on Facebook, where the lady cleaned the masks she used before planting in them. Now, this is one idea I don’t mind replicating. Number one, we lessen wastes. Number two, we plant more so we can produce more oxygen for the Earth. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Wearing masks in social media

Speaking of social media, I have seen posts in Facebook, Instagram and Twitter about the importance of using facemasks. Here’s the one that I like, it’s simple but direct to the point.

Photo Credit: Master Sardines Facebook Page