Rx For Your Good Health April 30

This weekend, for the first time, the Hays County Report showed no new cases of COVID-19, and Gov. Abbott is in the process of announcing his plan to reopen Texas. As we start to see an increase in our out-of-home activity, it’s important not to become complacent or forgetful of basic precautions. 

Here are some basic tips and reminders of good protection habits from the American Medical Association about grocery shopping in the time of COVID-19:

When you go to the store:

• Stay at least six-feet away from other shoppers.

• Don't shake hands, hug or have any physical contact.

• Wipe down grocery carts or basket handles with disinfectant wipes if you have them.

• Don't touch your face.

• Wear a cloth face mask.

• While waiting and after leaving the store, use hand sanitizer if you have it.

• If you're sick, don't go shopping. But if you must, wear a mask, wash your hands often and keep a safe distance between you and others.

When you get your groceries home:

• Although it's unlikely you'll be exposed to the virus from the items in your shopping bag, wash your hands after unpacking your groceries.

• Wipe surfaces with a household disinfectant.

Take precautions when preparing food:

• Wash your hands before eating.

• Do not share plates or silverware with others.

• Rinse fruits and vegetables before eating them.

If you're 65 or older:

• Ask a relative, friend, or neighbor to pick up groceries and leave them outside your house or bring them in while keeping at least six-feet apart.

• Check with your local market and go during store hours reserved for older shoppers.

• See if your grocer delivers and shop online.

Hotel

For future reference, how to sanitize your hotel room the next time you travel:

As soon as you walk into your hotel room, you should clean the most germy areas (after you check for bedbugs, of course), with the use of travel-sized disinfectant wipes. (These types of wipes are equally useful in wiping down an airplane seat area.)

Look for wipes that are specifically disinfectant (meaning they kill viruses) and not ones that are just cleaning wipes (which may only remove visible dirt and grime)

Thoroughly wipe down all high-touch areas in your hotel room. These areas include:

• Light and lamp switches

• Doorknobs (including the exterior handle to your hotel room, bathroom doorknobs, and closet door pulls)

• Bathroom sink handles

• Shower handles

• Toilet lid and flush handle

• Remotes (television remote, any smart remotes for closing drapes or turning off lights)

• Nightstands

• Alarm clocks

Glasses and ice buckets can also be germ hotbeds, but you never want to sanitize a drinking glass or ice bucket with a disinfectant. You can wash these with soap and water, or just use your own water bottle instead. The ice bucket should come with plastic liners, which you can use to line the inside and outside of the bucket.

Follow the instructions on the disinfectant wipe packaging to properly clean the area—note that most require the surface to stay wet for at least four minutes to completely disinfect.

Bedspreads may not be washed in between guests and can be germ vectors as well. Remove any decorative bedspreads and pillows and stash them out of the way in your room (possibly with a note on top asking the housekeeper not to put them back when they make up the room), sleeping with just the cleaner top sheets and non-decorative pillows.

Alcohol

We’re all spending more time inside, It’s better to skip that extra cocktail or glass of wine these longer days. According to the World Health Organization, alcohol should be restricted during lockdown because it could put people at risk for the coronavirus. That’s because alcohol weakens the body’s immune system and increases the risk of poor health outcomes that could lead to contracting COVID-19. Obviously context is important here, but you get the idea.