If you are a frontliner working in key sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that you practice the right safety measures each time you come home from work. You are at a higher risk of contracting the virus because you may be exposed to the people who have it, especially if you are working in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
While those working in hospitals and healthcare facilities may have their own strict protocols, not all frontliners like our supermarket cashiers, Grab drivers even our Starbucks’ barista will have access to information.
To give you a short guide on how you can protect yourself and your family, here is WHO recommendations on how you can stay safe at home after work:
Before Work:
- Always follow social distancing, especially if you are commuting to work
- Remove your accessories and other loose items from your body. The virus can linger in some items for a long time, even lasting up to a few days.
- Try to wear casual clothes to work, but have your work clothes ready in a laundry bag and shoes you can clean easily and leave in your office or car. Pack your casual clothes properly and make sure it is separate from where you packed your work clothes.
- Use a disposable bag as your lunch box and throw it away accordingly when you get home or after you eat
- Always hand wash and use a sanitizer or alcohol, especially if you touched various surfaces while on your way to work.
While Working:
- Disinfect your computer, phone and other things you use for work regularly
- Greet your co-workers/employees/clients without handshakes
- Always practice social distancing even in meetings
- Wear your mask even while you work
- Clean and disinfect your office and lunch space regularly
- Always wash your hands and disinfect your hands, especially if you held stuff other people touched.
After Working:
- Congratulate yourself for a job well done and think of ways on how you can improve more in your tasks for the next day.
- Disinfect the items you will be bringing home and leave the items you don’t need at your office desk.
- Handle your work items which may be contaminated with the virus with care such as your clothes, shoes and bag.
- Put your work clothes in a separate clothes bag and put it on your car’s trunk. When you get home, wash them immediately in your washing machine. You should also clean the laundry bag so you can use it for the next day.
- Put your work shoes in a dirty clothes bag with your clothes or leave it outside the house.
- Use a washable clean bag to bring your casual clothes and shoes and make sure they are separate from your work clothes.
- Take a bath immediately when you get home.
Special Note:
You may think that the above measures may be a tad too much but safety comes first especially if you find yourself in these situations:
- High numbers of infection in your country / city / area
- You have elderly folks aged 60 years old and above living with you.
- You have children living with you.
- You are an elder aged 60 years old and above.
- You don’t have access to quality medical care within your vicinity.
- Your workplace has high human traffic.
- Your workplace is in or near a hospital.
- Your workplace has or is near a new infected cluster.
Your job in the frontlines is very important because without you, the country will definitely be left hanging. However, it is important that you take care of yourself and find ways to reduce the risk of contracting the virus both at work and at home.
With these simple tips, it will definitely make a difference in helping the country flatten the curve and protect everyone around you.
For more Covid-19 related articles, here are some of my latest ones:
What should we do to minimize COVID-19’s economic impact?
What to do If You Lost Your Job During Covid-19 Recession?
Lockdown from Covid-19: From an Expat’s Point of View
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I was talking to a local elementary school teacher last week about the reality of classroom environments, and she commented that during her first few years she seemed to get sick with everything the kids brought into the classroom. She credited keeping healthier to years of building up a natural resistance along with an annual flu vaccination, washing her hands “… probably twenty times a day”, using her own pencils/pens/scissors/etc…, keeping her classroom windows open (even in winter), and getting enough sleep at night. Still, she said she expected to get at least one good cold each winter, and sometimes the flu… usually from other staff who came to meetings while ill.
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Ah your friend the teacher is the smart one who knows how to take care of herself. Thank you for sharing her safety tips with us.
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I’m in health, my hubby is in the police force and our routine is at home get into the bath tab before relaxing with the family. We had to change our kids routine from the spontaneous hugs as we walked in the house to them waiting till we have scrubbed off before we can hug eachother. At first it was hard for the kids but after long chats about the virus and daily practice now they have adjusted. However with things getting too much in my country we opted to send them to my mothers house for their safety and the chances of exposure rises.
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Thank you for sharing your safety tips with us. Seems to me that you and your hubby are taking good care of yourself. It is tougher with kids especially the young ones who had their routine disrupted. Opting to send your kids away is hard but for their well being, you need to do what you think is best as their mother.
Stay well and blessed.
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A good piece of advice at the right time, with lockdown release people started to commute locally and officially and steps to take of themselves is a priority and old age people should take more care than young. I’m sure all the hard working souls out there desperately waiting to get back to work will use this. Let’s stay safe from Corona ✨🤗
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Thank you so much for appreciating my article, Simon. Stay safe and well, my friend.
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please reply to my mail at (pacyt83@gmail.com)
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Hi, I did not received any emails from you. Did you sent it to the correct address at Kally@MiddleMe.net?
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Thanks for sharing this!! This is very useful information and it is not too much. Safety comes first. I always try to clean my phone and bank card regularly and wash my hands every day, especially when I pop down to the supermarket. It’s hard to always remember in the moment but it’s worth it.
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Thank you for sharing with us your safety tips, Faiza. It is good to learn that you are taking care of yourself during these times.
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Your welcome ☺️ I hope you stay safe.
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You too. Have an amazing weekend!
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You too!
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Thank YOU dear friend,
Another timely and oh so prudent POST.
These are difficult times so we must place prudence OVER “what will THEY” think of me if wear a mask?
Hey its your LIFE and the lives of those you love… Love always demands a price.
God be with you,
Patrick
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Love always demands a price. Love is priceless, Patrick. 🙂
Stay well and safe.
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Lota od nuggets in this gold mine
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Thank you, Tom. Stay well and safe.
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Great Post. Everyone needs to see this. Thanks.
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Thank you so much, Allison. Please feel free to share it out.
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Great reminders during this pandemic. Let us stay safe everyone!
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I agree with you! Let’s remind everyone we love to stay safe.
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Thank you for this. While I am not your audience , I will share these tips with my friends who are
Stay well and laugh a lot
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Thank you so much for your generosity to share with your friends. Stay safe and take care.
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https://worldphoto12.wordpress.com/2019/12/15/traduttore-del-sito-per-la-comunita-translator-site-for-community/
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So much important info Kally, thanks, and stay safe!
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Thank you, Roxie! Stay safe and well.
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Even those of us in less high-risk occupations can learn a thing or two from this list. The idea of having a work pair of shoes did occur to me, but I didn’t think of bringing a set of work clothes to change into after the commute. I generally toss my work clothes in the wash immediately after I get home, but having them in a secure container before I even arrive home would reduce the risk of contamination even more.
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What I did is to wear a longer coat when I go outside and since I’ll be outdoor, I won’t be taking off my coat so I can just take my coat out to wash once I reached home.
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Covid has really changed the way people have been living.
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I agree, Melanie I hope you are keeping yourself safe. Take care.
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