Unfortunately the pandemic is still very much with us. Hand hygiene and physical (social) distancing are still our best defences.
Your skin feels dry and tight. Knuckles are getting red. Cuts you didn’t know you had sting like mad when you use hand sanitiser.
Change your hand towels – yes, they get dirty.
It’s important to protect our skin barrier, so use hand cream and try non-soap hand wash (like QV). The vast majority of the time, anti-bacterial hand wash is not necessary.
You need to let hand sanitiser dry. Alcohol based disinfectants require exposure time to be effective. So don’t wash it off, embrace the film!
Bonus tip: if you don’t change your pillowcase every week, now might be a good time to start (extra bonus – clearer skin!)
Also: don’t forget to wash your hands after… you brush your teeth!
I mean, there’s saliva involved and you just exhaled all over your hand…
If your hands are clean, contamination of other surfaces should be minimal, but you’d be surprised at the bugs that grow when you swab surfaces.
Your phone! (Suggest making this a permanent routine)
Your keys
Remote controls (I always clean the remotes in hotel rooms)
Door handles
Light switches
Taps
Wallet/bank cards
Handbag – you know it’s been on the floor
Glasses
You should be washing your hands before you do your skincare routine anyway, but here’s a reminder.
People! (Including you). Hence, social distancing.
Elevator buttons
Car park ticket dispensers
Screens
Pin pads
Trolley and shopping basket handles
Hand rails
Communal tables and chairs
Door handles
Public toilet doors/taps/buttons
If you can work from home, please do and try to limit public activities to things like getting groceries, going to the pharmacy, medical appointments.
Don’t touch your face while you’re out.
Wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you get home.
If you are out or required to be in a group, try to keep your distance (1.5 to 2 metres), especially if you’re inside or going to be together for more than 15 minutes.
Wash your hands and please be considerate.
Everything you took out with you needs to stay in the “front door zone” until cleaned. That means phone/wallet/handbag/keys/glasses/pens. I have a spray bottle of alcohol near the door.
Wash your hands.
No touching or sitting on the couch yet – change out of your clothes (now is the time they all need to go into the laundry basket. Do you have to wash your hands after you put the laundry on? I do, but I do anyway).
Shower or wash your hands/forearms/elbows/face.
Get some (fragrance free) moisturiser (your skin needs you).
Clean clothes.
Now you can sit.
In general:
Keep nails short, and no nail polish or false nails – harder to wash bugs off.
Consider having a “clean” pocket and a “dirty” pocket while you’re out. Make sure to wash your hands between pockets. Items can go from clean to dirty, but not the other way unless you clean them.
Bugs can hide under jewellery and watches – maybe leave at home? Or switch to a chain?
But people are where the bugs are mostly at, so if you can… keep your distance! (1.5 metres)
🙂 smile and breath, Mel
