22 Apr Essential Workers: Use These Tips to Keep Your Family Safe When You Come Home
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it is becoming more important than ever to listen to local leaders and practice social distancing. Unfortunately, for essential workers, this becomes a significant challenge. As an essential worker, you must go to work each day. You are at a high risk of bringing the virus into your home and exposing members of your family and those you love the most. Luckily, there are a few precautions you can take to keep your family safe when you come home. Here are several of them.
Remove Clothing at the Door
If possible, you want to remove all clothing directly inside your door. This will prevent carrying the virus throughout your home. You will want to remove your shoes outside of your home, step through the door, and then remove all clothing. If this is not possible, try to remove as much clothing as possible including any jackets or sweaters you may be wearing.
Keep in mind that when removing your clothing, you don’t want to throw it on the floor. Rather, place it in a special garbage sack or a hamper lined with a garbage bag. Try to avoid touching the clothes until they have been washed.
Hop in the Shower
If you have young children who want to cuddle or give you a hug, wait to offer any type of physical contact until after you have showered. While it is unknown how long the virus can live on the skin, research shows it can live in the air for up to three hours and it lives long enough that it can be easily spread from person to person. It can also reside on smooth and hard surfaces for two to three days. Taking a hot shower is an excellent way to remove any lingering germs and prevent exposing your family members.
Limit Personal Items You Take With You
You can’t take a bag full of items anymore to help you get through the day. Rather, you need to limit the number of items you take outside of your home. For example, something simple such as placing your purse on an exposed surface can contaminate your bag and increase the risk of exposing yourself and your family members.
For those items you do bring to work with you, keep them stored away in an area that is not exposed to others. Before grabbing any item, such as your cell phone, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if possible. Once you have arrived at home at the end of the day, sanitize all personal items before you set them down inside your house. This could include using sanitizing wipes and sprays on our purse, phones, etc.
Don’t Forget to Sanitize Your Vehicle
Before you leave work and head for home, wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. However, this doesn’t mean you are clear as you still run the risk of being exposed from touching certain door handles, carrying contaminated personal items, having the virus on your clothes, etc. Once home, grab a sanitizing wipe and disinfect your vehicle. Wipe down your steering wheel, door handle, knobs you may have touched, gear selector, etc. This will take only a few minutes to complete and it will keep you and your family members safe each time you get in and out of the vehicle.
By being proactive and taking a few extra steps each time you come home from work, your family will thank you.
