COVID-19 has taken many lives all around the globe. Since new variants keep getting reported, it doesn’t seem to be going away entirely anytime soon. The main symptoms of this virus are fever, cough, and loss of taste or smell. If you suspect that you may have COVID-19, it’s better to use an at-home government-approved test kit, such as the Hughes antigen test, to confirm your symptoms and take necessary precautions to prevent it from spreading.
Nevertheless, in this article, we will discuss how you can stay safe from coronavirus and avoid getting sick. Let’s dive into it!
How Does Coronavirus Spread?
In order to educate yourself about coronavirus prevention, it’s equally vital for you to know how it spreads.
1. Person-to-Person Transmission
The most common way through which coronavirus spreads is by getting in contact with an infected person. Most of the time, infected people won’t even know that they are infected because they may be asymptomatic but still carry the virus and transmit it to others.
As soon as an infected individual sneeze coughs, or simply talks to you closely, the virus particles may enter your lungs and get infected.
2. Airborne Transmission
The virus particles can remain in the air for up to 3 hours and are usually breathed out by an infected person. If you breathe the same air containing the virus, that virus will also enter your body.
3. Surface Transmission
Although less common, coronavirus can spread from surfaces too. If a person carrying the virus sneezes, coughs, or simply touches surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, electronic devices, or windows, with their infected hands, you may also catch the virus by touching the same surfaces and then touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.
Coronavirus can remain active on surfaces from a few hours to a few days, depending on the kind of surface. For instance, it can live up to several days on steel, metal, glass, and plastics, whereas only a few hours on cardboard and paper.
That’s why it’s essential to clean high-touch surfaces with a detergent and disinfect them afterward as well to kill the virus and prevent it from spreading.
How to Protect Yourself from COVID-19?
1. Practice Social Distancing
Keeping six feet of distance from others in a public place is a general recommendation from health authorities. As person-to-person transmission plays a significant role in spreading coronavirus, practicing social distancing will help you remain safe.
At such a distance, the virus particles from the infected person won’t be able to enter your respiratory system.
2. Improve Ventilation and Spend Time Outdoors
The virus tends to accumulate indoors, especially more with poor ventilation. Therefore, if you must spend time indoors with other people, you should use properly-fitted and clean filters in the room. Furthermore, switching on the exhaust fans will also help keep the indoor air clean.
Still, it’s better to spend time outdoors. Now it doesn’t mean that you go to a crowded place outdoors, such as a concert. You can go for a walk in the park or another similar place to avoid crowded areas while keeping a 6-feet safe distance.
3. Wash Your Hands
If your hands are carrying the virus from touching the contaminated surfaces and you touch your eyes, mouth, or nose with the same hands, you will get sick and infected as well.
Hence, it’s crucial to wash your hands properly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, as this will give enough time to soap molecules to kill the virus. If you don’t have access to soap and water, you can use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol and properly rub your hands until it dries.
4. Wear a Mask
Wearing a mask in a public setting prevents you from catching the virus or contaminating someone else if you are infected. It’s an ideal way to avoid the airborne virus from entering your lungs since you have a covering on your mouth and nose.
Usually, a common cotton cloth mask is enough for it, but a safer and better option is to use an N95 mask. It fits properly on your face and provides a thicker covering to block out any particles from entering your respiratory system.
5. Restrict Traveling
International, as well as local traveling, must be avoided at all costs as it will increase the risk of coronavirus exposure. However, if you must travel, you should take all the necessary precautions.
People with underlying medical conditions or the elderly should completely avoid traveling because their immune systems may not be strong enough to fight the virus and the only way to be safe for them is to stay at home.
Once you get back home, it’s crucial to follow your state’s guidelines for quarantine.
6. Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines
Although everyone has a different point of view on COVID-19 vaccinations, they can significantly help you protect yourself from catching the virus. COVID vaccines are developed to prevent people from easily getting infected, hospitalized, or even dying.
No matter which vaccine you opt for, you should always first consult with a healthcare provider or professional medical consultant, so they can recommend the best option for you based on your health or medical condition.
