Thousands of people become coronavirus infected by quarantine: what they do wrong

At a press conference on May 6, Governor Andrew Cuomo said that 66% of new hospitalizations with COVID-19 in New York were people who literally stayed home, leaving only for urgent reasons, that is, complying with quarantine requirements, he writes. CNBC. Why are they sick?

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“It’s a surprise: overwhelmingly, people stayed home,” Cuomo said. “We thought maybe they were taking public transport and we took special precautions regarding public transport, but actually no, because these people literally stayed home.”

“Shocking” data came from over 100 New York hospitals and about 1300 new patients, Cuomo said.

“The question arises: How strictly do those staying at home ‘stay at home’?” says Stephen Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health who works on infectious disease risk assessment.

It’s possible that when we enter the ninth and tenth week of rather harsh preventive measures, people feel tired or too relaxed, suggests Joseph Vinets, a professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and an infectious disease doctor.

“The virus doesn’t care about the fact that we’re already tired,” he says. — Viruses have no emotions; They're just doing their thing."

According to Cuomo, "a lot comes down to what you do to protect yourself."

Here's a checklist of reminders of measures that epidemiologists and experts on infectious diseases strongly recommend, even though the economy reopens.

Use masks carefully

Since the beginning of April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been offering people to wear medical or tissue masks outside their home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to using a face mask, “people have to be very careful about how they put them on and take them off,” says Morse. Wash your hands before putting on a face mask.

The key is proper fit on the face. The mask should cover your nose and mouth comfortably but tightly.

“The mask has a wire insert that goes through the nose part. It needs to be pressed tightly against the nose,” says Vinets. “After this, you need to straighten the mask and pull the lower part under your chin.”

On the subject: 6 mistakes when wearing a mask that increase the risk of coronavirus infection

When you take off the mask, do not touch the front. Wash your hands immediately after removal.

“If [masks] become contaminated and you touch them—even if your hands are clean—you can become infected by subsequently touching your face,” Morse says.

Reusable fabric masks should be washed after each use. You can wash masks in a hot water washing machine and dry with hot air.

Stay away from people on the street

Most of us have heard about the need to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet (about 2 meters) from other people while in public.

It is believed that this distance protects you from breathing drops if someone sneezes or coughs nearby. But it can be difficult to adhere to this rule, especially in large cities and crowded places, if they cannot be avoided.

Morse recommends not to face people when you are outdoors. It is worth trying to go so as to be near other people, and not directly behind them.

Keep washing your hands thoroughly

Hand hygiene is still incredibly important because it is easy to accidentally touch your face and get infected.

“Your hands should always be clean,” Morse says.

Wash your hands with soap and water, or use a hand sanitizer if you cannot wash them.

Wash your hands after using the toilet, touching debris, and before, during, and after cooking.

“Also wash them after you touch anything outside the house and return inside,” he says. This includes touching door handles, opening packages, or pressing elevator buttons.

According to Vinetz, wearing gloves can give you a false sense of security. If you wear gloves, act as if your hands are dirty—and don't touch your face.

Be consistent in completing tasks

When you begin to carry out important tasks or often visit the office after it is opened, you should be especially careful. According to the recommendations of the CDC, for starters, you should definitely not take risks if you are sick.

Less often go to the store to reduce the risk of contact with other people, and if possible order food and medicine with delivery (and do not take them from hand to hand, ask the courier to leave at the doorstep or arrange with the company about this type of delivery), according to the CDC. Choose to pay for goods online or by phone and, if possible, use the contactless payment method.

If you go to the store, keep at least 6 feet (about 2 meters) from other people and wear a fabric face mask or mask, the CDC says. Some stores have designated “safe distances” on the floor and wipes are available for visitors to disinfect carts. But even so, you should not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth throughout your shopping trip.

When you are done shopping, use a hand sanitizer and wash your hands with soap and water when you are at home.

On the subject: On the street, in the store, in the office: how to protect yourself from the coronavirus while quarantining

Handle bags and products with care.

Many people rely on the delivery of products and other materials, hoping that minimal contact will protect them. This is largely true, but there is evidence that coronavirus can survive on surfaces from several hours to several days.

When you receive a bag or bring a shopping bag home, Morse offers to open it outside your home.

“Leave it all at the door. Wash your hands, and only after that, with clean hands, take out the things that were inside,” he says.

If the contents look like they need to be cleaned, you can wipe it with a disinfectant, he says, but this is not absolutely necessary.

Put the items on a surface that is then easy to clean, and of course, wash your hands, says Morse.

Follow the lift etiquette

Riding in an elevator with someone is a relatively short time to be exposed to their germs, but you should still be careful.

“Minimize the number of people in the elevator,” Morse says.

Lifts are a bit less busy when people stay at home, so you should wait until you can ride alone or with as few people as possible. And always wear a mask in the elevator, even if you are traveling alone.

Pressing buttons with an object, not a finger, is generally safe, but you still need to wash your hands when you get home.

Keep your distance even while in the park

Despite the rules of social distance, there are many photos of people gathering in groups in crowded parks on the Web. This happens even in pandemic hot spots like New York.

Vinets says that one can go out into the parks too, but one must be careful.

“You're outside with air movement and very little density of people,” he notes.

But you should still wear a mask and stay away from everyone you meet along the way. If you are meeting with friends or family outdoors, you should stay at least 6 feet apart and be strict in this matter. Make sure your friends or family have not had symptoms for at least 14 days before you meet.

If this is not possible, it is best to stay at home and instead think about a virtual video call.

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