Keeping yourself clean is always important. With the rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) all over the world, observing proper hygiene is even more crucial, especially since the disease is highly contagious. Here are some things to consider when maintaining your hygiene. (h/t to UrbanSurvivalSite.com)

Hand hygiene

To keep your hands free of bacteria and viruses, don’t just run your hands through water. You need to wash your hands with soap and water, scrubbing thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. You can count, set a timer, or sing the “Happy Birthday to You” song twice. You need to wash your hands all the time. Here are some of the times when you need to wash your hands:

• After coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
• Before, during and after preparing your food.
• Before eating your food.
• After being in a public place.
• Before and after caring for the elderly and the immunocompromised.
• Before and after treating a wound.
• After using the toilet.
• After disposing of human or pet waste.
• After changing a diaper.
• After disposing your garbage.

If you don’t have access to soap and a faucet, you can use rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. To further minimize your risk of catching the coronavirus, you need to keep your distance from other people. If you must meet someone, avoid shaking hands.

It is also a good practice to wash your hands every time you touch surfaces, which can harbor plenty of germs, such as door handles, light switches and flush handles. Alternatively, you can keep paper towels with you to avoid touching these surfaces at all.

Coughing and sneezing

Experts believe that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can easily spread through droplets from sneezing or coughing. These droplets can land on many surfaces. According to the World Health Organization, SARS-CoV-2 can survive on surfaces for anywhere between several hours to several days.

To avoid unwittingly spreading the virus, cough and sneeze away from people and food. Use disposable tissues. If you don’t have any tissue on hand, turn away from other people and sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow.

Bathing and washing clothes

Since SARS-CoV-2 can live on surfaces for up to several days, this means you need to take a shower with soap and water regularly. Your hands are your body’s main breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, but they are followed by your armpits, feet, hair and crotch.

And don’t forget that you also need to wash your clothes regularly. Avoid handling your clothes once you put them in your laundry basket, and if you do have to touch your clothes again, be sure to wash your hands afterward.

Household cleanliness

Your home can also be a breeding ground for the coronavirus, especially if you don’t regularly clean your house. You need to get your natural disinfectants and wipe down every surface you can think of. (Related: Protect your home from coronavirus and other pathogens by making home-made disinfectants.)

Here are some household cleaning tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Frequently disinfect hard surfaces like tables, desks, doorknobs and handrails – daily, if possible.
• Clean everything you use to cook, serve and eat food, such as pots, pans, ladles, spoons and forks.
• Limit the sharing of foods and drinks.
• Disinfect your smartphone daily. Gently wipe down the exterior of your phone with rubbing alcohol and avoid getting moisture in any of your phone’s openings.
• Disinfect other gadgets that you regularly use such as your computer monitor, keyboard and mouse, the television and remote control, tablets, video game consoles and speakers.

You may think that you’re less likely to die from COVID-19, especially if you’re still young and healthy. However, all these survival hygiene guidelines aren’t just for your own safety, they’re also for the well-being of everyone around you, including people with weak immune systems like seniors, toddlers and those immunocompromised by preexisting health conditions.

Don’t forget to follow these guidelines, especially if you want your whole community to survive this global pandemic.

Sources include:

CDC.gov

UrbanSurvivalSite.com

MedicalNewsToday.com

WHO.int