STAYING ALERT WHILE REPLENISHING
While it’s of utmost importance for us to stay indoors at all times during lockdown, it sometimes is unavoidable and you might have to venture out to get essentials. The question remains, how do you protect yourself and ensure your safety from coronavirus when you step out for essentials or for running errands. Listed below are a few indispensable virus prevention methods one should adhere to before heading out -
BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT
- First and foremost, make an inventory of the essentials required for the day, week or month and stocking up enough to avoid multiple trips to the store.
- Try stepping out only during non-peak hours.
- Try shopping for essentials alone and not tag along others in order to follow social distancing norms.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
- Cover your nose and mouth with an N95 mask or one layer each of surgical mask followed by a cloth mask.
- Carry a pair of gloves with you and slip them on before entering the store.
- Carry tissues and hand sanitizer (make sure the sanitizer has at least 60% alcohol content for it to work effectively).
- Carry your own grocery bag and don’t rely on the store to provide one. Irrespective of the size of your purchase, make sure things are put directly into the bag than being passed onto you across the counter.
WHEN AT THE STORE
- Sanitize your hands thoroughly with the sanitizer kept near entry door or with the one you’re carrying before entering the store.
- Use your elbows, knees or feet to open the door.
- If you have to take an elevator, make use of your knuckles, elbows or the tip of a pen to press buttons.
- Maintain physical distance of at least one meter from others when at the store. If the store is too crowded, try another store or wait outside until some people leave.
- Avoid touching products that you do not intend to buy.
- Be vary of where you keep your phone/devices or bag. The counter top and other surfaces are breeding ground of infections and are often touched by other people. Wipe clean your phone and bag with wet wipes once you get back home.
- Use app-based or QR code-based transaction method and avoid handing over or accepting cash. If paying by card, make sure not to sign or accept any transaction receipts.
ONCE YOU’RE BACK
- Leave your footwear and bag out.
- Don’t touch anything before you take your mask and gloves off. Discard the gloves and dispose or wash the mask as required.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or you can alternatively use sanitizer.
- Use a wet wipe and disinfect surfaces that you carried along or touched – car door handles, phone, glasses, wallet and keys.
- Once you’ve washed hands and cleaned up make sure all the essentials that you purchased are germ free too by cleaning them using a wet wipe. Fruits and vegetables should be washed in Luke warm water and wiped clean before storing.
- Once you’ve finished with cleaning all the purchases, make sure to wash your hands again.
- Change your clothes immediately and take a shower if needed.
ALSO, WHEN DEALING WITH DELIVERIES
Opt for contactless delivery when ordering essentials. This means making payment digitally and asking the delivery person to leave essentials outside your door.Whether you head out to a nearby store or a mile away, the risks remain pretty much the same. The only option that remains is to stay safe and take all the necessary precautions to contain the virus spread or getting infected.
