Life under coronavirus means staying at home as much as possible — but you’ll likely need to make a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy at some point. Download or print this tip sheet to make sure you don’t bring the virus back home with you. Note: Recommendations for Covid-19 may change as officials learn more, so monitor your local health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for updates.
Make a game plan
Designate one person to be your errand-runner to limit your outside exposures Set up a disinfecting station — an area outside your home or in a room with low foot trac where you can disinfect packaged food When you’re out Avoid coming within less than six feet of others Wipe handles on carts or baskets while shopping You don’t have to have gloves or a mask — just wash your hands frequently while you’re out and avoid touching your face When you get back 1)Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds 2) Disinfect takeout boxes and packaged foods at your disinfecting station Thoroughly 3) wash produce before putting it in your kitchen Disinfect Disinfect everything you touch — doorknobs, light switches, keys, phone, keyboards, remotes, etc. Use EPA-approved disinfectants (these include Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and certain Lysol sprays) and leave surfaces wet for 3-5 minutes
Delivery Ask workers to drop deliveries o on your doorstep or an area of your complex If they need you to come to the door, keep six feet of distance Pay and tip online when possible After you pick up mail from your mailbox, wash your hands Laundry Wash clothes, towels and linens regularly on the warmest setting Disinfect your laundry hamper, too, or place a removable liner inside it Don’t shake dirty laundry to avoid dispersing the virus in the air Guests You shouldn’t allow guests over right now If you need to house a family member or friend, avoid shared living spaces as much as you can If they need to enter shared living spaces, ask them to keep six feet of distance
If someone in your home gets sick: First, 1) consult your doctor 2) Isolate them in another room and 3) ask them to use a separate restroom Disinfect frequently touched surfaces every day Avoid sharing items with them Wear gloves when washing their laundry Continue to wash your hands frequently Ask them to wear a face mask if they have one Supplies you’ll need EPA-approved disinfectants If you don’t have disinfectants, make a bleach solution: Mix four teaspoons bleach per quart of water; or Use a 70% alcohol solution Laundry detergent Trash bags Prescription medicines (you can mail order these) Canned foods — fruits, veggies, beans Dry goods — breads, pastas, nut butters Frozen foods — meats, veggies, fruits
Pets Supervise your pet in your backyard It’s OK to play with them outside — just keep your distance from other humans If you’re sick, ask someone you live with to take care of them while you recover If you must care for them while you’re sick, wash your hands frequently
Sources: Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore City Health Commissioner and an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University in Washington. Dr. Koushik Kasanagottu, an internal medicine resident physician at John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, and who is among the thousands of health care professionals treating patients with coronavirus. Dr. Richard Kuhn, a virologist, director of the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease and editor-in-chief of the journal “Virology.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reprinted from CNN . Written by Scottie Andrew, CNN