“One moment of patience may ward off great disaster. One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.” — Chinese Proverb

1. WEAR YOUR MASK

We don’t know how to stress this enough: wear your mask. This is just as crucial for those feeling ill as much as for those who seem to not have any symptoms; you can be asymptomatic and still test positive for COVID-19. For those who think they may have the virus, it is important that you get tested and stay away from others until you receive your results, because the last thing you would want to do is infect those around you. Also, you don’t know who is high-risk and who is not. Even if they themselves aren’t high-risk, they could spread it to their loved ones who are in fact high-risk. If you properly wear a mask in public and practice social distancing when out, you can feel good about knowing you are aiding in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Do not be careless in this regard. Wear a mask to protect yourself and especially others. You can make cloth masks at home or purchase a pair at a nearby shop. A way to test if your mask is strong enough to keep the virus out of your airway is to do the lighter test. Light a lighter, hold it a few inches away from your face then blow as hard as you can. The idea is to see if you can blow the flame out. If you can, chances are your mask isn’t strong enough to keep potentially infected air out. Invest in or create a stronger mask if you blow the flame out.

2. DRINK WARM WATER

Warm water is an efficient way of helping blood and nutrients flow to your organs. Warm water also helps break up phlegm that has been building up in your lungs so that your body is able to cough it up and/or expel mucus through the nasal passage. One cup of warm water can make such a huge difference and many people are able to feel its soothing effects right away. Another way to help treat the body is by drinking a strong cup of warm ginger tea. Ginger is a very powerful antioxidant that helps the body fight infection, clear phlegm in the lungs, alleviate body aches and acts as a destressor. In the midst of a pandemic, stressing is expected, especially when you have suspicions that you may have the virus. Stress has never done the body any good and it especially will not do the body good now. It can cause anxiety which may cause shortness of breath and then you may be wholeheartedly convinced that you in fact have the virus, when in reality, you are just stressing yourself out. Another way warm water can help is through the use of a humidifier. Humidifiers kill bacteria and viral infections that may be floating around in your home. Invest in one to help keep the air around you clean. Breathing with the humidifier is also a great way to clear your nasal way and calm your nerves.

3. WASH YOUR HANDS

Since the early days of our youth, we have been told how important it is to keep your hands clean. We do this by washing the hands for 20-30 seconds with an adequate amount of water and soap. Some people keep themselves busy for these 20-30 seconds by singing the “Happy Birthday” song or by singing the “ABCs”. Right now, the state of the pandemic we are currently living in should be sufficient enough to keep us washing our hands regularly and under the proper conditions (duration and soap and water supply). Wash your hands before touching your face, in touching high-touch areas such as door handles (areas used by family members who may be high-risk), before and after eating, when coming home from being out no matter how long you’ve been away, etc. There’s really no bad time to wash your hands. Keep those paws clean.

4. DISINFECT YOUR HOME REGULARLY

Don’t feel shy when it comes to disinfecting your home on a regular basis. Your family members may think you have gone insane, but find comfort in the fact that your insanity to keep your home free from bad bacteria comes from a place of love for yourself and those around you, and that you want nothing more but to keep everyone safe. Develop a home disinfecting schedule to sanitize your home. Wipe down handles and other high-touch surfaces with disinfecting wipes. Important areas of the home to pay special attention to is the bathroom. The bathroom may be presumed as one of the cleanest areas of the home, but unbeknownst to many, the bathroom is actually an area of the home that has a very high bacterial count. Any time we swing the bathroom door open or close, or even flush the toilet, millions of bacteria fly around us and the bathroom, covering even your toothbrush, yes your toothbrush, in all kinds of disgusting matter. Keep this area clean for yourself and others. Also, spray beds and couches with antibacterial spray. Be sure to exchange dish washing towels as well so you are not spreading any viral infections to clean dishes. 

5. STAY AT HOME

You do so much good for yourself and others by simply staying home. Due to the nature of people staying out and not practicing proper safety precautions, this virus is infecting more people with each passing day. This is something that does not simply disappear. Getting this virus to go away will take time and dedication from all businesses and people. Until we reach this understanding, we will continue to have to live this way. Stay. At. Home. If you wish to get out, do so in small increments and follow proper protocol (social distancing, wearing a mask, etc.). Getting yourself and others sick is not worth it. When you put others before yourself, you end up putting yourself first. Wear a mask, practice social distancing and keep your space disinfected.