# What are your virus prevention protocols?



## Ronni (Mar 31, 2020)

There are the obvious guidelines.....wash your hands, no gatherings, keep 6 feet apart etc. and I imagine we're all doing that. 

In addition, I've evolved my own set of guidelines for the family.

We take turns going grocery shopping, whoever goes wears disposable gloves. My town has also established senior shopping hours in the early morning at the different stores, so if I'm the one to shop I go in the early morning, which means there are very few people in the store, and we're all seniors and everyone is careful to keep far back from each other.  Plus all the stores we go to have installed plexiglass shields at checkout, and prominent signs on the floor for each person who is waiting to check out to ensure there is enough distance between each.

Groceries go into the trunk, we sanitize whatever card we used, wipes on the back porch to wipe down grocery items before they're brought inside. 

Mail and any packages that get delivered are either left in the sun till that evening, OR are sprayed with Alcohol if it's raining and leaving them out isn't an option. 

We've had some visits from other family.  Mostly we just sit outside on the back porch where there's plenty of room to stay apart from each other.  Sanitizer out there too, so they sanitize their hands before they get comfortable.  If they come inside they get sprayed down with Lysol beforehand, and as soon as they step in the back door they're in the laundry room and they go to the sink to wash their hands thoroughly.    

I'm sure these seem like extreme measures to some of you.  If Ron catches the virus he may not survive because he has a compromised respiratory system from working on the railroad for years in NY before it was regulated.  It doesn't affect his quality of life much at all, but he is on an inhaler and he doesn't need to get sick.  If I get the virus, I'll likely do better because I have no health issues, but I'd also likely pass it on to him and I won't have that on my conscience!! 

We've talked elsewhere about the things folks need to do to feel comfortable in this current situation,  and this is what I need to do. 

What about you?


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## WhatInThe (Mar 31, 2020)

They're all good but there is the issue of supply and availability.   Haven't seen latex or vinyl gloves along with 70% alcohol in over 3 weeks now. One of the hardware chains even admitted to donating all their ppe including disposable gloves and masks to local hospitals.

The biggest thing is regular hand washing and attempting to focus how often I touch my face.


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## Judycat (Mar 31, 2020)

I wash my hands a lot. I have always done that because I have cats. They use the litter box and then walk all over everything. Staying home is what I've always done too, don't plan on visiting either of my children for a while. Yesterday in Wal Mart someone was coughing loudly blah. I feel for the checkout girl. She has to remain in that space for a longer time. I change my clothes after going out and take my shoes off at the door too.


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## Aunt Bea (Mar 31, 2020)

So far just the basics, handwashing, distancing, going out to shop once a week, etc...

I've been wrestling with the idea of home delivery for groceries.  I can't reconcile if it's better to give someone a job or worse to put someone else at risk doing something that I'm capable of doing for myself.

One thing that was mentioned in a newscast the other night was so simple that it surprised me and that was to go out shopping alone or send one member of the family instead of risking the health of the entire family.

Stay safe!


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## Ronni (Mar 31, 2020)

WhatInThe said:


> They're all good but there is the issue of supply and availability.   Haven't seen latex or vinyl gloves along with 70% alcohol in over 3 weeks now. One of the hardware chains even admitted to donating all their ppe including disposable gloves and masks to local hospitals.
> 
> The biggest thing is regular hand washing and attempting to focus how often I touch my face.



We have been lucky.. Ron always has a good supply of rubber gloves in his shop so that hasn’t been a problem for us.

Before people got crazy buying up supplies, I purchased two very large bottles of 90% rubbing alcohol, and so was able to supply my various family members with small spray bottles of it for which they were all grateful.

And we’ve always used hand sanitizer liberally so I had several regular sized pump bottles and a couple travel sized one already


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## jujube (Mar 31, 2020)

Hand washing and staying home.  That's about all I can see to do.


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## Lakeland living (Mar 31, 2020)

left barrel buck shot, the right barrel birdshot... I think...


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## Knight (Mar 31, 2020)

Aunt Bea said:


> I've been wrestling with the idea of home delivery for groceries.  I can't reconcile if it's better to give someone a job or worse to put someone else at risk doing something that I'm capable of doing for myself.
> 
> Trusting that the delivery person is risk free? Then there is take out food delivery for those that are used to not prepping their own food, what makes that safe? Good to know you are practicing what makes the most sense Aunt Bea
> 
> ...


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## OneEyedDiva (Mar 31, 2020)

I have always sprayed my coats and outerwear with disinfectant spray upon removing them. I never wear "outdoor clothes" in the house. I change into something more comfortable. I don't allow anybody to sit in "my chair"...which is my recliner and they don't mind because they all love my couch. I used to get teased about how often I wash my hands. I probably wash them close to (if not) 100 times a day. I feel so vindicated now.  I've also always used alcohol swabs to clean my hands before eating if I'm unable to wash my hands (ie: in the car).  I'll use hand sanitizer at other times when water is not available.

I'm in the habit stepping as far away from a public toilet before flushing and better yet, closing the lid first (using tissue of course). I do not touch door handles without paper towels and try not to use those air blower things. My sister told me they blow germs the germs around. I've gone to the supermarket a few times since the virus hit. First I used regular gloves while pushing the cart but don't like to touch food items with them on. The last 3 times I've taken disinfectant wipes and wiped down the handle and entire inside of the cart. I started wearing my mask whenever I go out, even to take out the garbage. I disinfect my phone often, particularly right after coming back into the house from an errand if I've used it. With the exception of having to pick up my meds and another package from the post office, during which I'll wear gloves, I'll be staying home.


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## Gardenlover (Mar 31, 2020)

Remove clothes and shoes upon entering the house. Get as much sun as possible. Showers.


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## win231 (Mar 31, 2020)

_The gloves? _ Depends how you use them.  There is nothing magical about gloves.  If you touch your face after touching other things (like your phone & everything you put in your cart) with or without gloves, the risk is the same.  It makes no difference whether your bare finger touches your face or a gloved finger touches your face.  Either will be contaminated with everything you touched.  That's why I don't bother with gloves - even though I have several boxes of them for gun cleaning.

_Senior Shopping Hours when there are "very few" people in the stores?_  I've worked stocking stores with merchandise.  If you knew how many people were required to stock even a small store, you wouldn't think that was useful.  That's not even counting the truckers who brought it, distributors, warehouse workers, packers, & display people.  By the time you've touched something, hundreds of other people have touched it. The virus can live on some surfaces for several days.  I think the main reason for Senior Shopping Hours is because older people have trouble standing in line outside.  
Remember when AIDS was the scare of the century back in the '80's?  A common phrase was:  _"When you have sex with someone, you're also having sex with everyone they have had sex with."_
When I get home from shopping, I put everything away _first,_ then wash my hands, change clothes & whatever I was wearing goes in the laundry.  No point in washing hands first, then putting what you bought away because you are touching every package that was in the store again.  Unless you remembered to wash your hands again, after putting everything away.

The plexiglass shield is a big joke.  They put them in one of our markets.  I can hear Mr. & Mrs. Corona saying, _"Well, we'd like to make that cashier sick, but they put that little plexiglass square thing, so we better not try to get around it. or they'll get mad at us."_
Whomever runs the business knows how to pacify their employees & make them think they're protected without spending much on a real solution.

I wash my hands after handling mail.


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## Ronni (Apr 1, 2020)

win231 said:


> _The gloves? _ Depends how you use them.  There is nothing magical about gloves.  If you touch your face after touching other things (like your phone & everything you put in your cart) with or without gloves, the risk is the same.



The gloves act as a reminder to me to not
touch my face. I have the devil of a time remembering. I don’t want to be out, touching all the stuff that might be contaminated, and then absent mindedly  touch my face. 



> _Senior Shopping Hours when there are "very few" people in the stores?_  I've worked stocking stores with merchandise.  If you knew how many people were required to stock even a small store, you wouldn't think that was useful.  That's not even counting the truckers who brought it, distributors, warehouse workers, packers, & display people.  By the time you've touched something, hundreds of other people have touched it. The virus can live on some surfaces for several days.  I think the main reason for Senior Shopping Hours is because older people have trouble standing in line outside.
> Remember when AIDS was the scare of the century back in the '80's?  A common phrase was:  _"When you have sex with someone, you're also having sex with everyone they have had sex with_


I’m talking about the people in the aisles. There are no crowds. Most of the aisles I go down I’m the only one. And if I’m not I wait till I am.



> The plexiglass shield is a big joke. They put them in one of our markets. I can hear Mr. & Mrs. Corona saying, _"Well, we'd like to make that cashier sick, but they put that little plexiglass square thing, so we better not try to get around it. or they'll get mad at us."_
> Whomever runs the business knows how to pacify their employees & make them think they're protected without spending much on a real solution


And what would that real solution be?


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## Pappy (Apr 1, 2020)

Wearing rubber gloves when any type of delivery is made. Same with the mail. I let it set for a day, out in the Florida room, and then only keep what is needed. The rest goes in garbage. Lots of disinfectant used too.


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## Sunny (Apr 1, 2020)

How long does the virus survive on paper?  I've seen all kinds of estimates. How do we know which is true?


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## Ronni (Apr 1, 2020)

From Johns Hopkins.
_According to a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can live in the air and on surfaces between several hours and several days. The study found that the virus is viable for up to 72 hours on plastics, 48 hours on stainless steel, 24 hours on cardboard, and 4 hours on copper. It is also detectable in the air for three hours._


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## Ronni (Apr 1, 2020)

It’s important to note that the amount of virus decreased rapidly over time on each of those surfaces. And so the risk of infection from touching them would probably decrease over time as well.

Heres the article. I only quote from reputable sources and only information that has hit the web in the last 73 hours because the information is evolving so rapidly.


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## StarSong (Apr 1, 2020)

Ronni said:


> The gloves act as a reminder to me to not
> touch my face. I have the devil of a time remembering. I don’t want to be out, touching all the stuff that might be contaminated, and then absent mindedly touch my face.


That's exactly why I wear them when shopping, Ronni.


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## SeaBreeze (Apr 1, 2020)

The last time I went shopping in a supermarket was March 12, during that time I wasn't concerned as I am now of the severity of this virus, but my husband and I agreed we needed to get additional food (and pet food) in the house in case we were home for awhile.  Since then I had a Costco (business) delivery, and online order that I picked up from Sam's Club, and a couple of vitamin deliveries from Swanson.

When I get something delivered like that, I put it in the garage for a couple of days before opening the box and bringing it into the house.  I've also been having several no contact food deliveries from restaurants, usually through Grub Hub.  I wear brown work gloves to pick up any packages or check my mail.  I wash thoroughly whenever necessary.  I only gassed up my car once, and used nitrile gloves, we always have them on hand and buy them at Costco, good for auto work or dirty jobs. I went to PO on Sunday for stamps, wore nitrile gloves, was the only one in the building and used the machine.  My husband had some dust masks in the garage, but so far I haven't used them, although I'm keeping a mask and nitrile gloves in the car.

I'm not really paranoid, just using common sense and being cautious.  I was at the dentist on Monday and it was a very good sanitary experience, I was the only patient there, they staggered their appointments and only took important or emergency visits.  I heard the virus stayed longer on hard surfaces, less on cardboard or plastic and not on dog's fur.  I think a lot of people are just guessing about how many hours for this and that, and I just do what I'm comfortable with.  Like Win231 said a couple of times, you're not likely to get the coronavirus by just touching something, unless you then put your hand to your face, mouth, eyes, etc.....so washing when necessary is key, IMO.

If I have to go to a supermarket again in the future, I will go during normal business hours, I've already heard a few bad stories from local folks who went during senior hours, crowded and long waits in the check out lines.  We already had rubbing alcohol, peroxide, TP and other things at home before this outbreak, so we're doing okay with what we have.


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## fmdog44 (Apr 1, 2020)

Among the obvious reasons to wear a mask it also serves as a reminder not to touch your face. I see more and more people wearing them. As fast as this virus is multiplying it only makes sense to be super protective. Disinfecting everything you bring in to your home makes sense. One tablespoon of bleach with one gallon of water will do the trick but be aware this will be effective or only three days then throw it away. I even sprayed the inside of my mailbox yesterday.


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## JB in SC (Apr 1, 2020)

It's really difficult limiting shopping trips, trying to find any disinfectants is becoming really difficult. Amazon only selling to hospitals and first responders is really driving up consumer demand. Alcohol is just as hard to find if not harder. It's impossible to order any online right now.


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## Marie5656 (Apr 1, 2020)

*I keep plastic gloves in the car, for when I get gas.   I also wipe down my shopping cart before shopping, and again when I come out. I have a container of bleach wipes just inside my door. I take off my shoes just inside (always have) and wipe them down,  I wipe off the door handle as well.  Then wash my hands.  I have hand sanitizer in living room and bed room.

I limit my trips out.  I take walks outside, around my house.*


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## win231 (Apr 1, 2020)

Sunny said:


> How long does the virus survive on paper?  I've seen all kinds of estimates. How do we know which is true?


We don't.  Neither do the experts.  They just don't want to say "We don't know" because it doesn't sound knowledgeable & professional and someone with lots of letters after their name doesn't want to say "We don't know." 
Example:  A reporter asked Dr. Barbara Ferrer, "What should we do if we have construction workers, painters & plumbers in our house?"  She replied, "You have to make sure your house is safe."  What the hell does that mean?


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