Our top tips for safely grocery shopping, dining out, riding public transportation and more.
The global outbreak of novel coronavirus and its resulting disease, COVID-19, have already taught you how to cough into your inner elbow, thoroughly wash your hands and what kind of face masks will and won’t protect you best. Companies throughout the world are increasingly enforcing work from home policies, and many choose to self isolate. But if you plan to go to work, dine out, shop in stores and ride public transportation, you’ll need practical tips to feel comfortable while keeping yourself — and others — safe.
I’m a tech journalist, not an infectious disease expert. But I want to share some practices I adopted during my recent trip to Portugal and England at a time when confirmed COVID-19 cases began spiking in Italy, Germany, France and Spain. I’ve continued to follow them since returning to Silicon Valley as well.
The day before my flight back, two baggage handlers at London’s Heathrow Airport, my departure hub, tested positive for the virus. But ironically, it’s my home in Santa Clara County that might put me at greater risk to exposure — there are currently 48 known cases and one death, making my area the second hardest hit in a state where the outbreak is expected to surge. For the time being, I intend to stay part of the world. Carefully.
If you’re still pressing elevator buttons with your fingertips, stop. Any time you have to open a door, push a button, pull a lever or digitally sign for something, use a different body part instead. You have plenty.
For example, I’ll often tap out a pin code with my knuckle instead of the pad of my finger, or push open a door with my shoulder, hip or foot instead of my hands.
You can usually flip on a light switch or sink faucet with your elbow or wrist, and you can wrap the sleeve of your sweater or jacket around the handle of doors you have to physically pull open. It’s easy enough to toss your clothing into the wash later rather than expose your skin now, especially if the chances you’ll use your hands to touch food items is high (e.g. you’re opening the door to a coffee shop).