It feels as if we've been in quarantine for AT LEAST 10 years. For me (as well as many others I have spoke with) the worst part of it all is the uncertainty of not knowing when things will go back to normal, if they ever do. So I was just as happy as any other person when I saw that the state plans to start opening back up come May 3rd. Of course, this is a tentative plan that is subject to many other factors- testing capabilities, population density, number of confirmed cases, etc- but it's definitely a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
That being said, I wanted to give a little bit of advice for when this does happen. First and foremost: Just because the state is opening back up, doesn't mean we need to throw caution out the window. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The virus is not gone, and it probably won't be for a very, very long time. Please remember, your actions still have a huge impact on the health and well being of so many people in the community. To use a very stark and simple example, it doesn't matter if your grandparents catch the virus on April 1st or May 1st or June 1st, or any time in between. It's going to be just as deadly (or possibly even more so, depending upon the hospital accomodations available) no matter when they catch it.
So, how do I balance being cautious with resuming a "normal" life, you might ask. Here are a few good ideas to keep your risk and the risk of others as low as possible.
1. Please continue to wear a mask in public. Yes, I know they're annoying. Yes, I know they can be hard to breathe in. But they are absolutely essential, and they could be the only barrier between you breathing in the droplets of an infected person, and vice versa. If they weren't important, we wouldn't be asked to wear them.
2. Do NOT wear gloves. Now, this seems sort of counterintuitive, but I promise it's worse to wear gloves than to not wear them. Imagine that you have a pair of gloves that you put on every time you wear your mask, that is to say, each time you go in public. So you go and get your much needed haircut, and in doing so, you touch the handle to the door, the pen you use to sign the check, the table, the arm to the chair, etc. After you're done, you want to go show off your fresh 'do at Walmart- because that's just what we do in a small town- and you decide to go grab some groceries. The gloves that just touched so many (potentially infected) surfaces in the barber shop also touch a whole host of surfaces in Walmart, thus spreading the germs from one spot to another. It would be so much better to not wear gloves, and to wash your hands or to use hand sanitizer between the sites. That being said...
3. WASH YOUR HANDS!!! (and/or use hand sanitizer.) This is the most crucial step you can take in preventing disease. Make sure you're doing it often enough: After each time you use the restroom, after each time you cough or blow your nose or touch your face, before and after each time you leave your house, after touching a commonly touched surface (such as a door handle), before and after each time you eat, just to name a few. You cannot wash your hands too much. Make sure you carry an alcohol based sanitizer with you if you do go out, just in case you don't have access to a sink. If your hands get dry and cracked like mine are, use plenty of lotion, and try lathering it on really thick at night and putting socks on your hands to keep it from getting on your sheets.
4. Prevent cross-contamination as much as possible. If you do decide to go out and enjoy your newfound freedom once the restrictions are lifted, try not to go visit people you know are at risk. For example, I recently started a job at a nursing home, so you probably won't see me out and about much. Or if you decide to go hang out with a group of friends, don't go visit your grandparents unless you have to. Pick one group or the other if you can help it.
5. Keep social distancing. A lot of people do have to interact with people who are high risk, so please keep your distance if you can.
6. Take care of your body and mind. Keep getting plenty of rest, taking your vitamins and medications, exercising, spending time outdoors, and limiting your social media intake.
7. Be kind. There are a lot of different attitudes about the reopening of Kansas. A lot of people are really hopeful and excited. A lot of people are really nervous and skeptical. A lot of people are somewhere in between. So please be kind and considerate of everybody, and keep being cautious.
I hope to see you all soon!
By Kate Madsen
Note: I am not a doctor, health official, or any type of expert on this sort of thing. These are just some good guidelines I've thought of based upon my education and classes I've taken in anatomy, biology, epidemiology, health science, temporary CNA certification, etc. So please, take my reccomendations with a grain of salt!
Comments