While the pandemic confined most of the population worldwide to their homes, it has also reset our priorities in maintaining good hygiene. Before the pandemic, cleanliness and hygiene practices were known but rarely rigorously followed. Of course, the same can’t be said for each individual, but we are talking about the majority here.
Now, safety precautions against the virus have made us more aware of personal and public hygiene, especially in crowded places. This shift in values has led to a better chance of curtailing the spread of the Covid-19 virus and others. So let us go over some of the necessary public health hygiene practices essential to keep you safe and healthy during the pandemic and afterward. Be sure that you know about viruses and bacteria to help you completely understand how they work and how to avoid them.
If you haven’t started practicing these, now would be an excellent time to educate yourself ad start.
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Visit a healthcare service provider often
Of course, this is what you should do before acting on any medical or health-related advice. Shaking off your illness as a minor inconvenience can cause a problem in the bigger picture. In the present times, you can’t be too careful. So whenever you feel sick, go to a healthcare service provider says this reliable dentist in Richmond Hill.
They can diagnose you, prescribe medicines, and educate you about healthcare issues and safety practices. It is not necessary to visit the hospital every time. Any clinic where service providers have educational degrees like the CEPH accredited online MPH programs or MNP programs can provide adequate assistance. In this digital age, consider online consultations as a way to maintain physical distance.
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Wash your hands and sanitize them often
Your hands most often become the primary carrier for germs and viruses because you touch so many different surfaces all the time. Objects such as tabletops, doorknobs, elevator handles, etc., are touched by millions of people daily. Have you ever considered the number of germs they could be carrying?
When you touch your face, mouth, nose, and eyes with dirty hands, these germs enter your body. For this reason, it is highly crucial to wash your hands each time before you touch your face. Avoid touching your face for no reason, and wash your hands before eating. If you don’t have water and soap available near you, keep an alcohol-based sanitizer in your bag or pocket, ready to clean your hands.
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Carry your own water bottle
Public water facilities are often unhygienic due to environmental exposure. Drinking contaminated water can lead to many diseases such as Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis, etc. So whenever you leave your home, ensure carrying your water bottle to drink from.
If not a bottle, take your own portable cup to use when drinking water. Avoid touching the taps with your face and mouth, as they can have germs from other people. Drinking directly off the fountain is a disgusting habit anyway.
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Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough
Germs and viruses hang in the air in the form of the water droplets released from coughing and sneezing. When another person breaths in the same air, they get infected with the same virus. Therefore, whenever you feel the urge to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a handkerchief or your elbow. In case you covered your mouth with your forearm, wash it or sanitize it as soon as possible
Apart from taking precautions when you sneeze and cough, you also have to remain wary of other people around you. Not everyone will adhere to the same level of protection as you. In this case, try to maintain a safe distance of at least 6 feet to keep yourself and everyone else safe.
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Check your temperature twice a day
You don’t necessarily have to check how hot or cold your body is when you feel feverish. Instead, make a habit of monitoring your body temperature twice a day. Tracking your temperature regularly can alert you of early signs of an oncoming fever or infection. As mostly the first sign of a viral infection is a fever, tracking it daily can save yourself and others.
If you notice signs of fever, prefer to maintain your distance from others till you return to normal. If the fever worsens and other symptoms accompany, get yourself tested and start your treatment immediately.
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Use masks and tissue papers
A disposable mask, as the name suggests, is mean to be thrown away after a single-use. There is no point in keeping it after you are done using it or, even worse, using it a second time. So the better practice is to discard it immediately. Similarly, used tissues have no place on your bed or table.
It would be best if you tossed them immediately, lest anyone else picks them up and catches the germs from them. Hence, keeping your environment clean and throwing away disposable stuff is best for you and others.
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Use your utensils when you eat in a restaurant
Sharing spoon and fork is not at all romantic. Don’t give in to the temptation of spoon-feeding your partner and risk them getting sick. Instead, try to get separate portions of food.
If you must share, then use your clean utensils. As we mentioned, our mouth is the most obvious place for germs to enter our body. Sharing utensils can risk you getting exposed to whatever germs the other person has. So maintain your distance and enjoy your food in a safe environment. Of course, we can’t do much if you and your partner decide to indulge in some intimate oral-to-oral action!
Conclusion
Maintaining personal and public hygiene is beneficial for your and others’ health. Regarding them as an option only puts yourself and others in danger. Especially when there is such a rapidly spreading virus in full effect, prioritizing your safety over everything else is not selfishness. For this reason, follow the basic public hygiene practices we have listed and keep yourself and others around you safe.