If you are a frontliner working in key sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that you practice the right safety measures each time you come home from work. You are at a higher risk of contracting the virus because you may be exposed to the people who have it, especially if you are working in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
While those working in hospitals and healthcare facilities may have their own strict protocols, not all frontliners like our supermarket cashiers, Grab drivers even our Starbucks’ barista will have access to information.
To give you a short guide on how you can protect yourself and your family, here is WHO recommendations on how you can stay safe at home after work:
Before Work:
Always follow social distancing, especially if you are commuting to work
Remove your accessories and other loose items from your body. The virus can linger in some items for a long time, even lasting up to a few days.
Try to wear casual clothes to work, but have your work clothes ready in a laundry bag and shoes you can clean easily and leave in your office or car. Pack your casual clothes properly and make sure it is separate from where you packed your work clothes.
Use a disposable bag as your lunch box and throw it away accordingly when you get home or after you eat
Always hand wash and use a sanitizer or alcohol, especially if you touched various surfaces while on your way to work.
While Working:
Disinfect your computer, phone and other things you use for work regularly
Greet your co-workers/employees/clients without handshakes
Always practice social distancing even in meetings
Wear your mask even while you work
Clean and disinfect your office and lunch space regularly
Always wash your hands and disinfect your hands, especially if you held stuff other people touched.
After Working:
Congratulate yourself for a job well done and think of ways on how you can improve more in your tasks for the next day.
Disinfect the items you will be bringing home and leave the items you don’t need at your office desk.
Handle your work items which may be contaminated with the virus with care such as your clothes, shoes and bag.
Put your work clothes in a separate clothes bag and put it on your car’s trunk. When you get home, wash them immediately in your washing machine. You should also clean the laundry bag so you can use it for the next day.
Put your work shoes in a dirty clothes bag with your clothes or leave it outside the house.
Use a washable clean bag to bring your casual clothes and shoes and make sure they are separate from your work clothes.
Take a bath immediately when you get home.
Special Note:
You may think that the above measures may be a tad too much but safety comes first especially if you find yourself in these situations:
High numbers of infection in your country / city / area
You have elderly folks aged 60 years old and above living with you.
You have children living with you.
You are an elder aged 60 years old and above.
You don’t have access to quality medical care within your vicinity.
Your workplace has high human traffic.
Your workplace is in or near a hospital.
Your workplace has or is near a new infected cluster.
Your job in the frontlines is very important because without you, the country will definitely be left hanging. However, it is important that you take care of yourself and find ways to reduce the risk of contracting the virus both at work and at home.
With these simple tips, it will definitely make a difference in helping the country flatten the curve and protect everyone around you.
For more Covid-19 related articles, here are some of my latest ones: What should we do to minimize COVID-19’s economic impact? What to do If You Lost Your Job During Covid-19 Recession? Lockdown from Covid-19: From an Expat’s Point of View
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