With the crazy flu going rampant all over the world it makes sense to stay home. Breathe heavily towards people you don’t like and generally stop talking to people you do like. While that sounds counter intuitive, it makes sense if you think about it for a second.
What also makes sense is to not only wash your hands but also the stuff you touch. Most people just advise you to wash your hands, stop touching your face and whatnot. But so far I’ve not seen anybody recommend that you clean the things your hands touch. Maybe not super important, but I think it is important in general.
Alcohol is the solution
That’s right, alcohol is good for something. Wipe your stuff with alcohol. Get some wipes, kitchen towels or a microfiber and wipe everything down. Preferably a white or bright coloured thing so you can see what a dirty slob you are.
If you don’t have alcohol, or want to keep that for your hands, you can use a window cleaner like Mr Muscle or something similar. I use Mr Muscle a lot and sometimes use Clorox wipes.
Things to pay attention to:
- Door knobs
- Window/Door frames
- Windows
- Any kind of keys
- Tools and utensils that are in the open
- Kitchen drawers (not just the handles)
- Your fridge door and edges you may touch
Simple right? How often do you clean those anyway? Me once a month or so…
But also take care of your:
- Alarm clock
- TV Remote
- Television and surrounding electronics
- Do DVD/CD players still exist?
- Light switches
And for the more personal stuff…
- Your laptop, keyboard, trackpad AND display
- Your computer peripherals and display
- Your cell phone/tablet, front and back
- Any gadget and controller you may have and regularly use
- The edges on your chairs and tables
This list is of-course not exhaustive. Clean everything you touch at least once a week. You should do this regardless of the current crisis. Everyone keeps telling you to wash your hands and avoid touching faces… But people breathe on a lot of things, nobody seems to realise that. Well, now you do. Be smart!
Corona in the wild
If you insist on going out, bring a mask or cover. Try to avoid Police and Army patrols if you’re in a quarantine zone. Getting arrested and getting locked up may be “safe”, but without the internet that’s boring… Getting fined is expensive. Not good.
Where I am, there is no quarantine yet. So I can wave at the cops for now.
When I do I’ll use a bandana as my facial cover. Like a proper gangster. So I can’t make any sudden moves.
Unfortunately masks are not available here because some muppets bought every mask in town before the government seized the rest. So yea, the common rabble is pretty much f*cked, right?
Anyway, I use a few bandanas and switch them out regularly. Switch out your facial cover of choice every few hours if you can, or wash it daily if possible. Make sure you use proper soap.
I read somewhere that the Corona Virus can survive for more than 12 hours without a host (you!). So just rinsing it out is probably not good enough.
If you don’t want to wear a mask all day, like me, only wear one where it makes sense. Inside enclosed spaces like your apartment building hallways, a street with people on it. But also on the bus, in bed (If you have a partner) and in the supermarket. You know, anywhere where people will come close to you.
The bug is not airborne yet, so if everyone is all spread out or you’re just alone, a mask is not necessary.
Coughing and sneezing in public
For obvious reasons, don’t do it. Pinch and massage your nose if you feel something come up. But don’t let it out. You’ll be knocked out, bagged and on your way to a quarantine ward in minutes. And the people in there probably are sick, so if you aren’t – well… you’re doubly screwed.
COVID-19 On the internet
Many people stay at home and as a result browse the internet, a lot. Make sure the websites you visit are Corona free*. For example; A bunch of people use my checkout button… Wipe the button on your screen before you click it. Also if there are many simultaneous visitors on a page. Make sure you wash your computer screen and hands after you leave.
This makes Google, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and many more digital deathtraps.
Corona on the internet is a bit like tracking cookies. They’re everywhere, you can’t see them, and they invade your life like nobody’s business… Watch out for it. Incognito mode won’t save you!
* Of-course the internet is safe. Unless you use a public computer. I’m not trying to make fun of the pandemic, but getting all serious and depressed is not useful either. There’s enough of that going around already.
