Infection Prevention for COVID-19

                                 There's lots of information out there about how we should beprotecting ourselves and others from COVID-19. Definitely the bestpractices for prevention against COVID-19 are these measures, social distancing, stayinghome, especially when ill, not touching your face,and washing your hands. As researchers learn moreabout COVID-19 every day, guidelines may expand toadapt to the new information. So we should also beadaptable as we stay informed. One of these measures isa new CDC recommendation of wearing face coverings in public.

                                 Coronavirus travels in dropletscalled respiratory droplets that are propelled from thespray of a cough or a sneeze. But research now suggests that droplets may even be emitted fromjust speaking or breathing and can potentially lastin the air for three hours before falling to the ground. So how do face masks help us? There are different types, but the most common onesyou're probably hearing about are N95 respirators, surgicalmasks, and cloth masks. Medical grade N95respirators have a tight seal against the face and aredesigned to filter out 95% of particles, even theones that are really small, up to 0.3 microns. Coronavirus, which is even smaller, only 50 to 200 nanometers, can travel in respiratorydroplets of various sizes. So we rely on N95respirators to filter out pretty much all largedroplets and most small ones that may contain the virus. Having these respirators availablefor health care providers is critical to ensure theycan treat their patients without sacrificing theirown health and safety. And so they must be reservedfor health care workers. 

                                 Surgical masks are loose-fitting, so are mostly intendedas a physical barrier, not a filtration device. They protect the wearer againstlarge respiratory droplets, but not smaller particles, so are not considered reliablerespiratory protection by the CDC. But they do protect others from the mask wearer'sown respiratory droplets, at least from coughing,sneezing, and exhaling. Surgical masks should also be reserved for health care workers. The CDC now recommendscloth face coverings for the general public, masks made from a simplet-shirt, for example, for when you do need togo outside for essentials, like to the grocery store or the pharmacy. 

                                  Some states in the US have already started mandating this as well. Even so, the best practice isto practice social distancing and stay at home. But for essential outings,you should cover your mouth and nose with a cloth barrier. Cloth masks can act as a physical barrier and protect others fromthe respiratory droplets that you emit. You may not feel like othersneed protection from you, especially if you're not feeling sick. But the CDC estimates that25% of people infected with the novel coronavirusdon't show symptoms and feel fine. But they can still transmit the virus to other people around them. So it's a better safe than sorry practice. The only risk, you may startto believe it's protecting you more than it actually is and be fooled into afalse sense of security. You may feel safer wearing a mask, but remember, it's meant toprotect others around you, not yourself. The best way to keep yourself safe is with social distancing and washing your hands often and well. And once you get home, besure to remove your mask without touching the outsidecontaminated part of the mask and wash it before your next use. The novel coronaviruscan survive on objects from hours to days,depending on the material. Research so far estimates it can survive on copper for four hours, on cardboard for 24 hours, and on plastic and stainlesssteel for around 72 hours. This is still early research, so it could potentiallysurvive even longer. This means that in additionto washing your hands often and for 20 seconds each time, you should disinfect frequentlytouched surfaces regularly, like your countertops, phone, doorknobs, light switches, and faucets. A good disinfectant issomething with 70% alcohol, like rubbing alcohol. You can also use a bleach solution. These work best whenyou let the solution sit on the surface for 30 seconds to a minute before wiping it down. You can make your own bleach solution by mixing five tablespoons ofbleach per gallon of water. 

                                 3% hydrogen peroxide also works if you wait one minutebefore wiping it down. Commercial wipes contain an ingredient called quaternary ammonium, which is also efficient in disinfecting when you follow thedirections on the label. Be sure to never mix cleaning products, because they can create dangerous,toxic chemical reactions. So what can you do whenyou have to leave your home for, say, groceries? A good exercise whenyou're out is to assume everyone around you is infected, and you, yourself are aswell, and act accordingly. This will keep you aware of what you touch and your distance from others. Be extra careful not to touch your face and minimize touchingyour personal belongings. When you get home, washyour hands immediately and disinfect any items youmay have touched while out, like car keys and your phone. 

                                  Your concern should be moreabout the people around you than the groceries you're bringing home. Your risk of being infected by a virus living on your groceries is very low. So there's no need to disinfect every item as long as you do these things. Wash your hands after unpacking groceries. Disinfect countertopsafter unpacking them. And wash your hands beforecooking and before eating, which you should be doingall the time anyways.