Most people by now have heard of COVID-19 or coronavirus. Unexpectedly, Washington state has become the U.S. epicenter of the disease. Most transmissions so far have been in healthcare settings. As of Thursday, five possible cases in our county, Clallam, had been tested with two results negative for the disease and the remaining three still pending. For many people there’s a palpable sense of “wait and see,” particularly older adults and those with compromised immune systems. Early indications are that the virus is more deadly than a typical flu; however, testing has lagged so it’s possible that the mortality has reflected more vulnerable populations and not a broad sampling of those all those affected, including younger people with milder symptoms.
It doesn’t hurt to be prepared and around here there have been runs on hand sanitizer, disinfecting surface wipes, alcohol (the medicinal kind)…and even toilet paper.
Hand washing is a front line defense: soap and water with 20-30 seconds of vigorous scrubbing. If you’re out and about and that’s not possible, hand sanitizer will help. You can even make your own. Google “homemade hand sanitizer recipe” for tips. I made a batch with three parts of alcohol to one part aloe vera gel, then added lavender essential oil and tea tree oil to scent it. Late note: Your final product should be at least 65% alcohol to be effective. As you can see above, my alcohol is 70%. The alcohol/aloe vera ratio I used dilutes the alcohol too much. I have since re-mixed to achieve a higher alcohol ratio.
Bleach and alcohol are standard disinfectants for surface cleaning. If that’s not an option I generally use hydrogen peroxide to clean around my house. It is used in labs and doctors offices as a disinfectant and it doesn’t have a disagreeable odor.
The new mantra for good health is to stop touching your face (easier said than done). Your mouth, nose, and eyes are routes for infection. And there’s the usual common sense advice: Avoid transmitting the virus through close contact: touch, coughing or sneezing. Cough or sneeze into a tissue and throw it away. Don’t shake hands. Stay home if you’re not feeling well. It doesn’t hurt to use disposable gloves if you’re worried about touching “germy” items like gas pumps, door handles, or key pads. Just be thoughtful about how you take them off and dispose of them. Exercise some care. It’s possible for anyone to unwittingly infect someone more vulnerable than yourself.