Away from home: tips for going out in times of pandemic

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has reached most countries. In some it is causing even more pronounced havoc, as is the case in Italy and Spain. Despite the confinement, some people need to leave home. Whether to go to your job, to go shopping, or to see a doctor. But at that time you’re exposed to being able to spread someone if you’re a carrier of the virus or getting infected if you don’t take appropriate measures.

In addition, the confinement measures will gradually relax. It is precisely this moment the most critical of all. It can give many people a false feeling that everything has happened and they will relax in terms of measurements, being able to give rise to a new rise in the contagion curve. Therefore, life after this restrictive confinement will change in many ways and you must be prepared to deal with it. Only then will you be safe and also protect yours…

Types of masks and their protection

Face masks have become a very precious asset, even more so now that confinement measures are beginning to be opened progressively and many people will have to go out to work, exercise, walk with minors, etc. The problem is that there is a strong demand and a great shortage of these elements of personal protection. That has caused prices to soar by up to 500% in some cases.

Even though some are taking advantage of with abusive prices and how difficult it is made to get one, you should know that they are not reusable. They are single-use products and should be discarded once you give them a use. But in the face of scarcity, the authorities are calling for them to be disinfected and reused again. Something unusual…

Ideally, masks are certified with the EC logo and are governed by European Union standards for this type of protection. But right now you’re going to find lots of masks that come from China and without those guarantees.

And if that’s not enough, you should know that there are many types of masks and not all are effective in preventing infection by SARS-CoV-2. And it is important that you know them so as not to take surprises and know the risks to which you are exposed or exposed to others depending on the type of mask. You must have already seen the news that has jumped to the media about a game of masks that were not served and that have been distributed to many toilets.

Types of face masks

Among all types of masks you will find these that are not always effective against the virus:

• Hygienic: they are not considered as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). You must avoid them by all means. They are simple face masks without the CE certificate. With them you can spread and also spread to others.
• Surgical: they are typical that are being distributed to the population, and they are made of fine tissue and folded. There are several types such as I, II and IIR. They are also not EPIs and should be discarded after a single use. They are created under the norm EN 14683, and they only serve so that you do not spread to others, but they would not prevent you from getting infected.
• FFP1 Type: prevent you from infecting others, but they don’t protect you from contagion such as surgical. They are single-use, self-filtering and must have the CE logo to be safe.
• Type FFP2 without valve: This is the best choice if certified, as they protect you against contagion and also prevent you from spreading it to others if you are infected.
• FFP2 with valve: Similar to the previous one but having a valve you can spread to others by escaping particles through the valve.
• FFP3 with valve: Similar to the above, they can prevent contagion but will not prevent you from spreading to others by the valve.
• Semimascara: They are the only ones on the list that are reusable, and are intended for professional use, such as painters or those who handle certain volatile chemical elements. They plug a mouth and nose, and are under norm EN 140. In this case they serve so much to avoid getting infected, but they do not prevent you from contagiating by having exhaust valves.

You could also see some online tutorials to make homemade masks. You should avoid such tutorials, as many result in masks that are not of much use. That can lead people to have a false sense of protection and make some mistakes, such as getting too close to people believing they are protected and not being…

Disinfect masks

What should not be done, but you should do is disinfect masks that are only one use. The situation of scarcity and exceptionality obliges them to be reused because of the lack of masks and abusive prices. Therefore, you must follow the following steps to be able to reuse the masks several times:

• Option 1: Wash the mask with normal laundry detergent and at 60 — 90 °C temperature. Then let them dry.
• Option 2: Immerse the masks in 1 litre of water with 20 ml of bleach for 30 min, then wash with soap and water and let them dry.
• Option 3: Use a sprayer to spray with a virucide authorized by the Ministry of Health (Ecodyl, Vaprox, Bactoclean, Rely+on Virkon, etc.). Then wash with soap and water, and let dry.

If you notice that you have fissures, or some kind of breakage, then there is no other than to discard the mask. In that case you can not continue to reuse or disinfect it.

Personal hygiene

Home and personal hygiene are now more important than ever. It is best practice to clean your home using disinfectants such as bleach dissolved in water, or using disinfectant wipes, disinfectant gels, etc., to clean elevator buttons, door knobs, pins or railings etc. Remember that the dishwasher with a 60 degree program or more can help disinfect if there is any sick at home.

This also applies to packages that come to you by courier and the products you buy at the supermarket, you should also disinfect them one by one with a wet cloth in a water+bleach solution (ratio of 1 part bleach per 50 water approximately). Take care of other recipes available on the Internet for home disinfectants that are not effective.

As for your personal hygiene, you already know that you need to do an accurate routine that involves:

• Wash your hands properly every time you touch surfaces, especially if they are public surfaces. If you have touched any surface and can’t wash at the moment, avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes until you can wash. You can also use as a supplement some kind of sanitizer gel, but not as a substitute for hand washing.
• You can put the sole of your shoes in a container with water and bleach solution that you have prepared on the door to disinfect the sole.
• Take off your clothes and leave it out on a terrace or balcony you have for a few hours. Then you can wash it in the washing machine with programs from 60 to 90° C to disinfect it. If it is a fabric that does not tolerate this temperature, you can use a little bleach for the washing process.
• Shower every time you walk into the house from the outside.
• Beard or long hair can also be a problem right now.
• Wearing short nails also helps to avoid another recoveco in which dirt can accumulate. Also, if you wear gloves, long nails could lead to breakage in the finest ones.

Taking care of your pets

Finally, pets should not neglect them either. They are not invulnerable to SARS-CoV-2, there have already been cases of pet infection by this virus. Therefore, you have to follow a number of guidelines and tips so that your well-being is guaranteed, especially dogs you take for a walk outside, where viruses can be brought home.

You should take certain precautions and not use certain disinfectant gels with them that can cause burns or irritations. Nor do you spray them with any kind of solution, as they usually lick the body and can ingest the chemical. The area of the nose and mouth is another sensitive area, and in principle you should not clean it with chemicals. The only part you can and should disinfect after the walk is the legs, in the area of the pads.

In order to disinfect your dog’s paws you must follow these steps:

1. Before you go into the house, you should prepare everything necessary to clean the dog’s paws. You should not enter the apartment and step on all surfaces or climb on furniture or sofa. If you have an entrance or garden, it will be the ideal place to do it.
2. Prepare a bucket or container with the disinfectant solution. You have several options that you can choose based on your pet’s behavior and endurance, as some involve more additional steps:
   1. Bleach and water ratio 1:50 That solution is the preferred and most effective. It is not irritating and removes the virus 100%. You can make it with 1 liter of water and 20 ml of bleach. Put the dog’s four legs in and you’re done.
   2. Alcohol 70:30. It is another alternative, but in this case it can be irritating and toxic if the dog licks. Therefore, you should only use it in case you do not have the possibility to use the first one.
   3. Soap and water. It’s another innocuous alternative to the first, but somewhat slower. If your dog is not still can be less practical, as you need to wet the paws in the soapy water, so that they wash and then dry them. This solution would also be advisable to clean your face and glue if necessary. Also, remember to use special gels or soaps for them.
3. Insert the dog’s paws into this solution and make sure that the area of the pads has been soaked well.
4. Then you can wipe dry the animal’s paws with a cloth or towel and it will be ready to enter. Remember to wash the towel in a disinfectant solution or with washing programs of 60°C or more to disinfect it as well.

If you notice rare symptoms or any kind of problems, you should consult with your veterinarian as you would in any other circumstance. Professionals are the ones who will give you the best tips to solve problems…