There is nearly a 0% chance that you haven’t heard about Coronavirus and the dangers surrounding it at this point. Many cities and states are in lockdown to try to contain the spread of this highly infectious disease, and your local grocery store is probably out of toilet paper (for some reason). It’s a scary time for some; for others, they don’t see the reason for the hype.
The truth lies somewhere in the middle, but closer to the worrisome end of the spectrum (but really, no one needs that much toilet paper). For many, they fear leaving their own homes as we are all told to practice social distancing, which we absolutely should. The Coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, is spread through droplets in saliva, normally produced from coughing, sneezing, and even sometimes talking. By staying at least 6 feet away from people, you seriously minimize the chances of those droplets getting on you.
There are a number of other ways to protect yourself from contracting COVID-19, or spreading it. Some will say they feel fine and go out into the world, as if nothing was different and we weren’t in the middle of a pandemic; you should know that you can be asymptomatic (not show any symptoms of the virus, but have it and be a carrier) and spread it, but you can still go out. Realistically, it’s mostly okay to go out. If you need to travel, you absolutely can. We understand travel and we don’t want to put anyone in harm’s way of contracting this virus; it is safe to hop on an airplane right now. All companies are taking extra precautions to disinfect every surface and limit large gatherings to mitigate the spread of the virus.
In order to protect you, if you choose to travel, or not, we’ve compiled a simple list of tips to keep yourself safe.
- Wash your hands after being in public, or touching common surfaces, such as doorknobs. Wash your hands in hot water, with soap, for at least 20 second.
- If you have it, carry hand sanitizer and use it.
- Disinfect common surfaces in your home.
- Only wear a face mask if you are sick, or show symptoms. Do not wear them if you aren’t sick as you have effectively taken it away from someone who is. The face masks are meant to stop the spread of the virus for people who are already sick, they won’t protect you.
- If you need to go to the grocery store, go during off-peak hours to limit the amount of people in the building.
- If you are able to (especially for work), stay home. The less you go out into public, the less chance you have of contracting and/or spreading the virus.
If you need to travel, you should, but if you are immunocompromised, then you should definitely check with your doctor to make sure it’s okay. If you are under 60 and healthy, you face less risks of contracting, or severely suffering, from the virus as of current opinions from medical professionals and researchers.
If you have any additional questions about upcoming trips, for family vacations, or honeymoons, contact us immediately and we’ll be happy to help and review your itinerary. Stay safe.
