Ways To Stay Healthy During Quarantine

+Hand+Sanitizer

Blake Herbert

Hand Sanitizer

Madalyn Cottrell, Staff Writer

COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, is a deadly flu-like disease that originated from wildlife in China. The virus has spread worldwide, finally being declared as an international pandemic. Governments around the world are calling upon the people to stay inside in order to prevent the virus from spreading too fast. 

People should be taking the quarantine seriously, although some don’t seem to grasp how dangerous the coronavirus can actually be. So, there are a variety of reasons staying indoors would help, but the highest ranking reason is that hospitals simply do not have the facilities to battle the outbreak in full force. 

Many families in Indiana have been in quarantine since the middle of March. Schools have shut down for the rest of the academic term, and many essential workers are now being asked to work from home. As a result of the quarantine, there are some things that everyone can do to avoid getting sick, to stay clean, and to help prevent spreading the virus to other people if one comes down with the virus. 

 

  1. Washing Your Hands: This may seem like the most obvious one, but washing your hands with soap and water for more than 20 seconds is an effective way to keep hands clean. Even if people are just sitting around the house, they should still wash their hands several times a day. When coming back from the store, make sure to wash your hands before and after putting away supplies. 

 

  1. Avoid Seeing Other People: This is the one that has a lot of people bummed, but there are still ways one can do to stay connected during practicing social distancing like through the use of social media platforms and Facetime. It’s a simple and effective way everyone can practice in order to prevent spreading the virus. Coronavirus is easy to contract, so when going to the stores to stock up on food, also make sure to stand at least six feet away from everyone around you as well. 

 

 

  • Use Handsanitizer: This is not as effective as hand washing, but it kills germs nonetheless. Handsanitizer is short of stock right now, but there are also ways to make your own homemade hand sanitizer with strong alcohol and other household ingredients. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer

 

 

 

  • Don’t Leave The House Unless You HAVE to: It is really easy to go a little stir crazy staying indoors all day, but try only to leave the house if you really have to. Taking walks around the neighborhood with your family is okay, but everyone should make sure to be avoiding playground equipment. Avoid trying to go see friends, and leave the house only if you have to get food or medicine. If everyone takes the quarantine seriously, the faster this will all go away and the faster we can all go back to living like normal. 

 

 

 

  • Wear a Mask and Gloves When Shopping: This step may seem a little dramatic, but it’s just an extra safety precaution one can take to further ensure that they don’t get sick. Make sure to also take your gloves off before getting back into your car, and dispose of them safely. 

 

 

 

  • Wipe Down Your Phone: Phones carry so much bacteria, and it’s something people forget about. Wipe down your phone with alcohol pads frequently. If you do not have alcohol, a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and distilled water will be just as effective. 

 

 

These are just small, basic things everyone can do in order to stay clean and healthy. Hopefully, if everyone continues to practice social distancing, life will all go back to normal soon.