It has been over a year, and the world is still in its fight against Covid-19. Vaccines have rolled out in different countries, and safety protocols have become more relaxed in some places. However, still, you must not let your guard down, especially with the new variants discovered recently. The World Health Organisation reported about one of the latest variants, the Mu variant or B.1.621. Scientists are still studying this variant, but it is believed that it may have mutated into something that could avoid the effects of natural immunity and vaccines.
With the lifting of lockdowns and work and other activities going back to normal, you may find yourself exposed to the crowd. Therefore, you need to be extra careful when you go home, especially if you live with other family members. However, there are things that you can do to keep your home safer when going back after being outdoors.
Leave your shoes outside
Besides the dirt that stick to your shoes due to walking, it may have droplets of the virus. Do not step inside the house with your shoes on. Leave them outside, and wipe them clean with sanitising wipes.
Take a shower immediately
Do not have any physical contact with your family members when you get home. No matter how safe you think you are outside, you can never be sure. So, it’s best to take extra precautionary measures by going immediately to the bathroom and taking a shower. A frameless shower enclosure is recommended for your shower area to keep the rest of the bathroom dry. Cleaning will be much easier with this. After showering, sanitise the bathroom to ensure that you have killed any virus and bacteria that may still be there.
Put your clothes in a separate laundry bin
Do not mix the clothes that you wore outside with the other laundry. Instead, keep them in a separate bin, and wash them as soon as possible. There might be elements stuck in your clothes, and separating them will prevent the virus from spreading if there is a presence you don’t know of.
Clean your things
Sanitise your things, including cell phones, bags, and all other items that you use outside, to ensure that they are clean and virus-free. Droplets can stick to various materials, and since you can’t see them, you can’t tell if you are safe or not. So make it a habit to clean your things when you get home, or preferably before entering the house, regularly. It may take some time and effort, but it will give you peace of mind knowing you are keeping your family safe.
Encourage everyone to always wash their hands
Wash your hands after putting away your clothes in the bin or cleaning your things. Remind other family members to do the same. Wash their hands often, especially before and after every meal or when they hold something from the outside.
Disinfect your home regularly
The bathroom is not the only area to disinfect, but do this for the entire house, especially those often touched like doorknobs.
Avoid going out unless necessary, and stay away from crowded places. Also, keep wearing your mask outside because Covid-19 is still out there.
Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/woman-window-cleaning-person-5928694/
