Aside from getting vaccinated, individuals are still encouraged to observe proper safety and health protocols that involves bringing of important things most especially when going outside their homes during this pandemic.
The pandemic has changed the overall lifestyle of millions of people around the globe. Today, securing one’s health and safety is far more important as the fight towards coronavirus or the disease-causing virus remains prevalent and uncontained in some areas of the country. Hence, we have listed down the important things one must carry to secure and reduce the risks of getting infected especially when going to public or common places such as groceries and other essential establishments.
Face Mask & Face Shield
Strict measures from both local and national government units impose on every individual going outside their homes to wear facemasks and face shields to reduce the risk of getting infected with the virus. Several studies have proven to lessen the risks of getting the virus through wearing facemasks.
Meanwhile, face shields are also seen as another protective layer before the actual virus gets into direct contact especially to a person’s facial regions where the most vulnerable parts of infection are located such as the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Moreover, since some of the locally manufactured facemasks are not built for longer use; you might also need to bring some extra supply in case the thread or band snaps.
Hand Sanitizer
When we are out and about, we come into contact with a variety of items such as shopping carts, doorknobs, and grocery bags. It’s impossible to know what pathogens are present on these surfaces. To avoid contracting COVID, you must keep your hands clean.
The most effective technique to kill disease-causing bacteria is to wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. In the absence of that, sanitizer is the next best thing. Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on hand that contains at least 60% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.
Disinfectant
When traveling, it’s a good idea to have a disinfectant on hand. Keep it in your car or backpack to wipe down surfaces that you frequently touch. Bacteria and viruses thrive in a variety of places, including car doors, telephones, and shopping carts. Cleaning them with a disinfectant cleanser containing 7.5 percent hydrogen peroxide should be done on a regular basis.
Sanitary Tissues or Wipes
Tissues are something that you should always have with you when you go out, not only during a pandemic. They can be used to cover your mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, wipe your face, clean doors, and handle and contact elevator buttons, among other things. This is a simple way to reduce your germ and bacterium exposure.
Water Bottle
It is critical to stay hydrated throughout the year. As a result, bring one water bottle with you when you go out. It is preferable to carry a bottle from home rather than stopping at a store to purchase one. When you use water coolers, you’re more likely to be exposed to bacteria.
Ensuring to meet the minimum requirement of eight glasses of water a day will help in maintaining a sound and hydrated body which is important for better immunity.
Home Meals and Snacks
Although, some of the restaurants and dining places may still be operating it is a better precaution to have your own packed home meals and snacks when you are working outside your home. Buying from a cafeteria or even a restaurant will not guarantee your maximum safety these days especially when you are using common silverware in a corporate café or dining place.
It is recommended that you should also bring your personal utensils and tumbler to avoid getting infected as possible infection occurs in a public dining place.
Identification Card
Since going outside your home means you will have to wear proper protective gear like face masks and face shields. A proper identification card should be something that you will have to at least carry whenever you are outside to reduce the likelihood of removing your face masks or shield for vivid or proper identification.
A quick response or QR code is maintained in most of the cities in the country where security or health officers will often scan these codes to get individuals entering or exiting a public establishment. Out of necessity, if you are a vaccinated individual bringing your vaccination card will entitle you to some perks from various commercial establishments such as a discount from your favorite restaurants.
Smartphone with QR Code Reader
Phones are very much useful and needed even before the pandemic, yet at the moment smartphones need to have quick response or QR code readers as most establishments have their own respective contact tracing requirement where an individual can also scan on their own devices the establishment’s unique QR code for better recording of entries and exits.
Hence, you must install or have a QR code reader if you plan to get inside commercial or public areas such as banks, malls, hospitals, etc.
Stay at Home When You Can this Pandemic
As the numbers continue to grow in the country, we recommend staying at home when you possibly can as it is safer when you do not get too much interaction, especially in public places. Even if you are fully vaccinated, other developing variants of the Covid-19 may not give you the assurance of not getting infected with the virus.
You may stock up a good number of food items, sanitary items, and other essential ones on a monthly basis to lessen the need of doing groceries. If you have the allowance of working from home, you can perhaps arrange a good office space to make yourself working productively even at home.
Ultimately, if you are demanded of the need to go out you can get back to this list of items you will find necessary for additional protection and safety from the virus. More than that, getting vaccinated will give you proper protection from the coronavirus.
