FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, I WAS FORCED TO VENTURE OUT TO THE BANK, AND WALMART. AS SOME OF YOU MAY RELATE, WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN HOME SO LONG, GOING OUT IN PUBLIC WITH A GROUP OF STRANGERS NEAR YOU, IS BEYOND STRESSFUL.
FOR THE BANK, I GEARED UP WITH MY SURGICAL MASK, AND GLOVES. THE GUARD WAS ONLY LETTING IN 2 AT A TIME, SO MY ANXIETY LEVEL BEGAN TO CALM DOWN. THERE WAS AN ELDERLY WOMAN IN FRONT OF ME (ABOUT 12 FEET) AND SHE HAD ON HER MASK AND GLOVES. SHE MOVED UP TO THE COUNTER, AND HERE IS
WHERE, TO ME, THINGS WENT TERRIBLY WRONG. SHE FELT SHE WAS SAFE, AS SHE PLACED HER WALLET ON THE COUNTER…MISTAKE NUMBER ONE. THE VIRUS CAN LAST HOURS TO DAYS ON COUNTER TOPS. SHE THEN SIGNED THE HER NAME ON THE BANK MACHINE WITH THAT DIRTY PEN. NO CHOICE, I UNDERSTAND, SHE WAS WEARING GLOVES, SO SHE WAS DOING OK. THEN SHE ADJUSTED HER MASK, PICKED UP HER WALLET AND LEFT. I WATCHED HER GET IN HER CAR AND DRIVE AWAY, WEARING THE GLOVES. NEVER REALIZING ALL THE TIMES SHE INADVERTENTLY EXPOSED HERSELF TO COVID-19. HER WALLET, STEERING WHEEL, DOOR HANDLE, AND HER MASK.
NEXT, I THEN RAN INTO WALMART. I WATCHED PEOPLE FIDGETING WITH THEIR MASKS, AFTER TOUCHING A TON OF ITEMS IN THE STORE. I WATCHED PEOPLE WEARING THEIR MASK BELOW THEIR NOSE AND PERIODICALLY RAISING IT BACK UP WITH THEIR HANDS THAT HAVE TOUCHED EVERY SURFACE TOP.
WHAT IT THE POINT OF THIS ARTICLE? HOW TO WEAR YOUR MASK TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES THE SAFEST YOU CAN. FIRST, CLOTH MASKS ARE SAID TO ONLY BLOCK 50% OF AIRBORN PATHOGENS, BUT THEY ARE BETTER THAN NONE AND MAY PROTECT YOU AND OTHERS. TRY TO GET THE MATRIAL ONES WITH FILTERS. THE SURGICAL MASKS (BLUE ON THE OUTSIDE, WHITE ON THE INSIDE) ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP UN-WANTED GERMS OUT. THE N-95 MASKS ARE NEEDED FOR HEALTH CARE WORKERS. MASKS HELP. WEAR THEM! BUT COVID -19 CAN LAST ON THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR MASK. EVERYTIME YOU FIDGET WITH YOUR MASK YOU COULD BE PUSHING THE VIRUS UP YOUR NOSE. SIMPLY PUT – PUT THE MASK ON AND DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE. WHEN YOU GET BACK IN YOUR CAR, REMOVE YOUR GLOVES FIRST OR SQUIRT PURELL ON THOSE HANDS BEFORE REMOVING YOUR MASK. REMOVE FROM ONE EAR BAND TO THE OTHER. SPRAY THE OUTSIDE WITH LYSOL WHEN YOU GET HOME AND LET IT AIR OUT IN THE SUN.
I KNOW I SOUND LIKE A NAGGING MOM (I AM), BUT IF THIS IS OUR NEW NORM FOR AWHILE, LET’S MAKE SURE IT IS DONE RIGHT. IT BECOMES HABIT! YOU KNOW WHEN YOU WALK YOUR DOG AND HAVE TO PICK UP DOG POOP? THAT HAND HOLDING THAT BAG NEVER GOES TOWARD YOUR FACE – PRETEND YOUR GLOVES ARE THOSE BAGS……GROSS, BUT YOU GET THE POINT. AND ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER WHEN YOU GET HOME.