7 Wellness Whizzes on Dodging Danger in this Cootie-Riddled COVID-19 Cacophony
Nailing down nifty nuggets of wisdom to keep the COVID-cooties at bay can be a brain-busting task. Just ponder the puzzling progression of mask policies, from “No need for the hoi polloi” to “We beseech thee, cover thy mug!” It’s no surprise we’re all befuddled by this rascally virus (yep, we’re lookin’ at you, SARS-CoV-2). To clear the clutter, we chatted with a gaggle of health gurus, including docs well-versed in the art of pandemic pandemonium prevention.
Related: if you have already got sick, take care about keeping your house clean, we have prepared a guide on deep cleaning your home after being sick.
Dr. Chad Sanborn, MD
Adolescent Infection Aficionado
Big Chad the Science Lad studied biology at Brown, scooped up his medical sheepskin at Rutgers, then chased that fancy fellowship from Miami all the way to Jackson Memorial. For a decade plus, the unstoppable Dr. Sanborn has waged war on creepy crawlies, specializing in MRSA, fever freak-outs, sinners’ skin and boney blights, parasite parties, HIV hullabaloos, and the viral shenanigans of Palm Beach County ankle-biters.
Dr. Chad’s Choice Chestnuts:
- Shopping spree – plenty of paw pressing. Unleash that fearsome sanitizing goo before, during, and after your retail romp.
- Wipe your cart with a vengeance – Touchy-feely can spread cooties in other ways, so once you’re homeward bound, scrub those grabbers for 20 seconds to banish any straggling microbug intruders.
- Play the clock– More space means fewer faces, which cuts down on the chances of catching COVID. Plus, zippier shopping trips get you home in warp speed. Boo-yah!
- Feeling icky? Stay home, sweetheart- With our paws all over our faces, coughs, and sneezes – ain’t nobody got time for that germ-spreading biz.
- Curbing your enthusiasm?– Embrace it! Curbside pick-up or delivery means fewer humans = less chance of scaring the bejeezus out of your immune system.
- In store mode?– Respect the six-foot rule, mask up, avoid touching the face, keep sneezing to a minimum, and plan to blast through shopping duty. Patience is golden, baby!
Dr. Alexis Parcells, MD
Scalpel Sculptor Supreme
Our girl Alexis snagged a B.A. at Georgetown and MD at St. George’s before perfecting her plastic-surgery-based arts at Rutgers. Now she teaches med students and residents at RWJ Barnabas, racking up shiny apples while sporting an American Board of Plastic Surgery badge.
Dr. Alexis’s Awe-Inspiring Q&A Sesh:
Q: Re-entering the world in the age of COVID. How do we survive?
A: First, interrogate your innards: sickness = stay put. If you’re confident about your well-being, follow guidelines du jour and perform that social-distancing dance. Douse your digits in sanitizer pre- and post- face touching, and scrub any potential germs away.
Q: Keeping the workforce safe. What’s the play?
A: Keep that conversation flowing, ensuring everyone’s comfy at work. Employers, you’ve got options: Sneeze shields, scrub-a-dub-dub, space-outs, touch-free payments, let’s keep ’em COVID-clear!
Q: Do we still need to armor-up to stay safe?
A: The curve might be flattening, but individual responsibility never goes out of style. Keep your eye on the cootie-free prize, and remember – united we stand (six feet apart).
Dr. Jay Woody, MD, FACEP
Emergency Room Wrangler
Flexing that CMO title at Intuitive Health and founding Legacy ER & Urgent Care, Dr. Jay Woody (Chief Treat-‘Em-and-Beater-‘Em) has cornered the market on emergency medicine and spearheaded the clever combo of ER and urgent care facilities.
Dr. Woody, the scholarly scribbler of prodigious tomes such as Medical Response to Terrorism:
- Preparedness and Clinical Practice and AAEM Emergency Medical and Family Health, says life’s numero uno rule of thumb to stay in the pink when the world reopens for business is to scrub-a-dub-dub those digits!
- That’s right, my peeps – the single best way to stop those pesky pathogens in their tracks is to lather up and rinse ’em down. Washing your mitts regularly will keep the ickies away and leave you in the zone of wellness.
- So you’re wondering, should we still be rockin’ that PPE swag and tiptoeing around town? Doc Woody says let’s follow the catchy CDC tune, my dears. Don the face masks in public, especially when the community contagion is off the charts! And please, let’s keep those surgical masks and N-96s for the healthcare heroes.
The sneaky COVID-19 hitchhikes between bodies via respiratory droplets – Achoo! The mask helps keep your sneezy eau de parfum from wafting over to others. Masks do some heavy lifting in this war against the virus, but remember – handwashing is still the numero uno defense. Squeaky clean hands are the ticket, my friends!
“But how do I remove the mask without unleashing the mumbo-jumbo of microbes?”
1. Just follow the CDC dance routine: remove it from the back, not the front! No touching the inside part! Don’t let the mask slip down your face and defeat its purpose. And for goodness sake, keep your hands clean before and after wrestling with that facial armor.
2. Cloth masks aren’t the crème de la crème, but they’re way better than going au naturel when it comes to keeping those germs at bay. Just don’t forget to wash and dry them after strutting your stuff in the public eye.
3. And as for those rubber gloves? Ditch ’em, folks! They’re just tricking you into a false sense of germaphobe safety. If you’re glove-less, you’re probably washing your hands more. So let’s focus on “gloveless living” and boost our immunity by sudsing up frequently, catching some Zs, chomping on a balanced diet, getting the blood pumping with exercise, hydrating with H2O, and keeping our cool with some R&R. Stay healthy, my friends!
Hail your physician:
- To maintain optimal bodily harmony, schedule periodic tête-à-têtes with your trusted MD.
- They’ll monitor your bod, quell quandaries, and share sage advice for a flourishing lifestyle.
- Vaccinate with gusto: Immunizations are key, especially those flu jabs for humans aged 6 months and beyond.
- The U.S. flu season spans October through May, climaxing between December and February.
- The CDC urges folks to embrace vaccination the moment it’s available (typically around October) to ensure maximum defense early in the game.
- Vaccinations rev up your immune troops without making you sick as a dog, though you might experience minor aches and that “off” sensation.
- The grand illusion they create encourages your body to conjure antibodies against invisible foes.
- These protective agents lie in wait, ever vigilant, so that when the enemy crosses paths with you later, your body’s defenses are primed for battle thanks to the stored antibodies.
Dr. Leann Poston, Esteemed Physician
M.Ed holder, and Director of Admissions, suggests donning gloves for cleaning with chemical concoctions, but be cautious using gloves for all occasions. They may provide a false sense of protection, leading to cross-contamination on surfaces touched. When bare-handed, you’re more aware of what you touch, and are more likely to wash those mitts. If you do wear gloves, be mindful of what you touch afterward to avoid creating a contamination contagion.
A frequent mistake is to blend cleaning and disinfecting. The former removes dirt and germs from surfaces, while the latter slays the pathogens using antimicrobial chemicals. And remember, kiddos, with great germ-killing power comes great responsibility, so only use disinfectants in well-ventilated areas while wearing gloves. When the time comes to purge your world of coronavirus, remember to clean, then disinfect.
Tip : learn more about the effective disinfectant against Covid-19
Dr. Chris Norris, Chartered Physiotherapist and Neurologist
Reminds us that as society re-enters the world, we must remain vigilant against the COVID-19 fiend. Distance is our friend! Maintain a 6-foot buffer between fellow humans, avoid the ill, and keep those shindigs to a minimum. Lather and cleanse your hands frequently, and avoid touching your expressive visage with unwashed digits. Scrub and sanitize those frequently touched surfaces daily, and stay attuned to your body’s wellbeing. Seek the good doctor if symptoms arise.
To keep employees tip-top and safely functioning, organizations should offer guidance and ensure that personal barrier methods to halt pathogens are followed. Encourage regular handwashing, staying home during illness, inoculations, cough/sneeze barriers, and respecting the 6-foot social distancing bubble to circumvent unnecessary and unhealthy human mingling. By being proactive and protecting your workers, your business shall triumph in these trying times.
Bethink ye may have the nerve t’ join this motley crew? Well, ye be talkin’ to the right chap. Just remember, dead men tell no tales, so ye best be ready t’ sing like a sea shanty when we reach the X that marks the spot. Hold on to yer hats, be they tricorn or otherwise, for who knows what adventures we’ll uncover when we dive into the unknown abyss. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Tidy up the workspace, my dear friends,
Put emphasis on frequent hygiene trends,
Utilize zappy cleaners and germ-killing teams,
Scrub chairs, keyboards, and all things in-between.
If disposable wipes are your inclination,
By all means, utilize them in your sanitation.
Good ventilation is the key,
Open windows for air circulation and harmony.
Prepare for disease outbreaks and more,
A plan in place at work, our protection hardcore.
Workplace flu guidance and planning in health sectors,
Are critical to minimize the threat of disaster.
Personal protective gear, I affirm yes!
The virus lingers, and we must not regress.
For healthcare heroes and frontline workers too,
Keep the safety wear, a precaution that’s true.
Reopening impacts the society we play in,
Anxiety, fear, and stress wearing thin.
No cure or vaccine, our nerves perpetually frayed,
Elbow button pushing, the new normal displayed.
Now let’s dive into Dr. Kunjana’s knowledge bites,
Unveiling sneaky ways the virus ignites.
Phones, remote controls, and shared objects galore,
Stairs, door knobs, and gloves spread it far more.
Hand sanitizers and grocery store wipes,
Cars and open containers multiplying the gripes.
Dr. Catalina Botero’s words of wisdom too,
Offering ways to protect our sanity through and through.
Request FaceTime visits for a smooth return,
To the doctors and dentists we eagerly yearn.
Discover new safety measures and ease your mind,
For a comfortable, protected journey you’ll find.
Screen employees and visitors, keep your space secure,
Curbside waiting rooms make distancing a lovely allure.
Colorful masks make the atmosphere light,
Educate clients on sanitation, for everyone’s delight.
Dear friends, as the experts have cheerfully explained,
Prevention is the key, and their wisdom we’ve gained.
Handwashing, masks, and social distancing, let’s all take part,
To join the fight against COVID and do our smart part.
