The second wave of COVID hit our country in the beginning of April and the whole nation is still grappling with it tremendously. This wave is bigger and more dangerous than the last one which is probably why so many people are getting afflicted with the virus this time around. The number of cases and casualties are at an all time high. Every day sets a new morbid record of deaths and disease. Our healthcare system is straining under the pressure of all the critical patients to attend to and it is causing a shortage of essential medicines and medical equipment which are necessary for treatment.
While there is only so much that you can do once you get the virus, this means that you should be taking more care than ever to make sure that you and your family stay safe from it in the first place itself. Since COVID has been around for more than a year now, all of us at least know the basics of what we should and should not do in order to safeguard ourselves from it. But it does not hurt to be reminded of some additional tips to follow which can potentially protect your near and dear ones from suffering unnecessarily. Read on to know all about such steps to stay safe.
- Double Mask Up:
One of the best modes of protection from Covid is through wearing mask. While most of us wear masks religiously while stepping out of our houses, some people still do not wear them or wear them incorrectly. If you do not cover your nose and your mouth with your mask properly, you are more susceptible to become afflicted with it. Also, many recent studies have shown that using two masks instead of one reduces your chances of getting affected by a lot. So make it a point to layer up your masks for maximum protection.
- Sanitisers Are Your Saving Grace:
While using sanitisers became a norm last year, they can literally be a lifesaver in these times as well. Make sure that you carry a hand sanitise with you wherever you go. And keep sanitising your surroundings and your hands, especially if you have touched or come in contact with things or surfaces which have previously been touched by other people. Using sanitisers is especially necessary before touching your face or eating food. Needless to say, maintaining a good distance from other people can also do wonders in safeguarding you.
- Keep Important Information Handy:
Since there is a deluge of critical Covid related cases in the past few days, you or a family member may get infected with the virus even if you have taken all precautions and have been careful throughout. So make it a point to make a repository of important information that you may need in the case of an emergency. This can be phone numbers of hospitals, your medical insurance information, sources through which important life saving medicines or oxygen cylinders can be acquired, among others. Even if you do not end up using this information, you may be able to help someone else with it in their time of need.
- Stay Indoors As Much As Possible:
If you are still not staying indoors, we would seriously request you to please do so. This is not the time for indulging in recreational activities. If it is not absolutely necessary for you to go out, you should remain inside the comfort of your own house. This may seem like an inconvenience for you right now, but this can actually be a game changer in saving someone’s life. If you are not engaged in providing any essential service, use this time to help others by staying indoors to ease some of the load on the healthcare system.
- Interact With People Virtually And Not Physically:
This point is an extension of our last point which was to stay indoors. Also make it a point to not meet people physically right now. This may aid in exchanging infections which can prove to be dangerous at this time. Even if you yourself do not get affected by the virus, you may be an asymptomatic carrier of the disease and can harm other more vulnerable people. Technology is indeed bringing us all closer so use this opportunity to get the full benefit of it by planning up virtual meet ups instead of physical ones.
- Get Vaccinated When It Is Your Turn:
As soon as it is your turn to get vaccinated, make it a point to get the vaccine. Even if it does not protect you completely from the virus, it has been proven to make the intensity of the infection much lesser in comparison. You can also eat fruits and vegetables or multivitamins to increase your immunity in the meantime. Increased immunity will mean better fighting chances of the body and lesser severity of the infection if or when it does hit you.
- Take Care Of Your Mental And Physical Health:
Being in the midst of such a tumultuous time cannot be good for our mental or physical health. Make sure to give proper attention and care to both of them. Invest in a pulse oximeter if you already do not have one. This will help you to check your oxygen levels on a regular basis and can help to ease some of your anxiety about your health and wellbeing. You can also practice some deep breathing exercises which serve the purpose of getting more oxygen to your lungs as well as helping both your body and your brain to relax in these troubled times.
We really hope that you make a conscious effort to follow all of these steps diligently, as it is literally a matter of life and death now. And we would also request you to share this article with all your loved ones so that they can stay protected from this virus for as long as possible, as well. On that note, we would ask you to stay safe and for those of you who may already be suffering from the virus, we wish you strength and a speedy recovery.