5 Effective Strategies for preventing COVID-19 while executing Essential Errands?
Millions of people around the world are under government instructions to remain at home, exercise social distancing and stay away from highly congested areas to avoid COVID-19 from spreading. Stay home until you absolutely NEED to go to the store for an essential errand.
When an infected person coughs or sneezes, the COVID-19 virus spreads mainly by droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. According to the latest statistics released by Johns Hopkins University, reported COVID-19 cases have reached 2.9 million worldwide with the death toll approaching 207,270. More than 881,635 individuals have also recovered.
First of all, if you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, do not leave your home.
What are Essential Errands?
This question has increased rapidly due to the present situation. Getting groceries, medication, take-out meals, or gas for your car are main reasons for accessing public spaces. All of this can be achieved by home delivery or by mail order depending on your location.
What are Non-Essential Errands?
Anything that is not necessary for maintaining your physical health and safety would be considered non-essential errands. That means doing away with all the “pleasurable” outdoor programs and activities.
5 Effective Strategies for preventing COVID-19 while executing Essential Errands?
1. Prioritize your supply list
Prioritize your supply list, so you can quickly get in and out of the store. Prepare items that you will need for the next 1-2 weeks so you can restrict your outings. See what you can order online to eliminate the errand.
2. Shop during off-peak times
If possible, choose off-peak hours to shop. Consider the hours of pre-dinner time when people do last-minute trips to the supermarket after a day of work.
3. Keep Social distancing
Allow yourself some time to shop and maybe wait in line and keep your distance from people at least 6 feet away.
4. Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes
Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when you step out. A routine shopping trip brings us into contact with surfaces that other people have touched – shopping cart handles, ATM keys, door handles, gas pumps, even cash.
Use a hand sanitizer when entering and exiting places. Clean the handle of your shopping cart with a disinfectant wipe.
5. Wash your hands after errands
- Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after you get home
- Before and after unpacking your purchases
- Practice standard food hygiene with “Four Steps to Food Safety” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) : Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill.
- Ensure sure your personal belongings are disinfected. The first things you clean will be your phone, keys, wallet and shopping bags.
- Wash your clothing items as well.
Keep in Touch
Until our world turned upside down with COVID-19 many of us had taken for granted shopping, family vacations, dining in restaurants with friends and relatives.
For the time being, things have changed. Now more than ever, we need to remain connected, but it cannot be by physical contact with people outside our home. We can connect via phone calls, video chat and social media. Just staying at home you can save lives!
