Infectionist names 14 everyday mistakes that increase the risk of contracting coronavirus

America continues to open up, but the coronavirus is still active and infects people everywhere, from the grocery store to parks and beaches. This does not mean spending warm days indoors, but it takes a little diligence, patience and understanding of how the disease spreads to prevent it. Yahoo... Infectious disease doctors talked about 14 mistakes that people make when they are at risk of infection.

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1. You are wearing a protective mask incorrectly

“If I'm going to be in a crowded area, I'm definitely going to wear a mask,” says Heidi Zapata, MD, an infectious disease expert at Yale University.

However, wearing a mask is not enough. To be effective, it must be worn correctly.

“I know they are difficult to wear, especially with glasses (lenses fog up). However, if you go into a crowded area and only cover your mouth with a mask, you can still become infected by inhaling through your nose, she notes. “You can also sneeze and possibly infect others.”

Recommendation: Always wear the mask so that it covers both your mouth and nose.

2. You don't know what the correct social distance looks like

Everyone has a different idea of ​​what the six feet (1,8 meters) recommended for social distancing looks. For example, if you decide to walk with your friend in a park, it can be difficult to walk and talk side by side and still remain six feet apart on a narrow path or sidewalk.

Recommendation: the doctor suggests measuring the distance with a tape measure for the first time.

“It’s worth sitting down on the grass, measuring 6 feet and talking from a distance. Also remember that six feet is about two arms apart, or the length of a double bed,” she says.

3. You carry the infection into the house

When you get home from a walk, explains Purvi Parikh, M.D., an allergist at Allergy & Asthma Network, you can bring the virus home on your clothes and mask.

Recommendation: “When you get home, leave your shoes outside and wash all your clothes, including reusable masks,” she suggests.

On the subject: COVID-19 Immunity: Key Questions About Antibodies and Reinfection Risk Answers

4. You unconsciously touch surfaces

“When you go into a public place, be aware of what you touch,” Dr. Zapata urges. “For example, you go to the supermarket, touch the door handle, and then grab the handle of the food cart. Afterwards you decide to take some milk. Be careful what you touch and use hand sanitizer frequently.”

Otherwise, rubbing your eyes or touching your face after touching one of the many objects is an easy way to get infected. Examples of objects to keep in mind include elevator buttons, stair railings, and credit card machines.

Recommendation: “We often don't realize we're touching our faces,” she continues. “Remember that objects are touched by hundreds, if not thousands, of people every day.”

5. You disrespect others when you go for a walk or run.

Everyone wants to get some fresh air and work out, but the streets and paths can be dangerous if you don't follow the rules.

Recommendation: “If you're walking along a path, such as in a park, and you're going for a run, pass the person in front of you, get six feet away, and continue jogging or walking,” Zapata urges. “Nobody wants someone breathing heavily on them during this time.”

6. You don't wait your turn

Remember, back in kindergarten, you learned how important it is to take turns? Well, now is a good time to apply this skill.

“For example, if someone is in a supermarket aisle and selecting an item, wait until they finish (you can wait patiently, six feet apart),” suggests Dr. Zapata. “Of course, this requires consideration by both sides.”

Recommendation: Many stores and establishments use markings on the floor indicating where it is best to stand - follow their directions. This also applies to elevators. In some buildings, only two people can take the elevator at a time - for your own safety.

7. You are drinking from a drinking fountain or using a shared water dispenser

While the water in a drinking fountain or vending machine is safe to drink, given the fact that multiple mouths and noses touch the faucet, it is best to avoid such places. Also, to get water from a fountain or dispenser, you usually have to touch a button or lever, which means other people have probably touched them too.

Recommendation: It's best to take a bottle of water with you.

8. You use public toilets

In a blog post that went viral, Erin Bromage, Ph.D. and Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, reveals some of the most risky situations for COVID-19 infection. Public toilets tend to be among the most contaminated places.

“Restrooms have many high-touch surfaces: door handles, faucets, stall doors. Therefore, the risk of transmission of infection in this environment may be high,” he explains.

Recommendation: While it's still unclear whether infectious material can be shed in feces, "we know that flushing a toilet produces a lot of droplets," he notes. “Treat public toilets (ground and air) with extreme caution until we know more about the risk.”

9. You don't count the air flow

Bromage notes that indoor spaces with limited air exchange or recirculated air and large numbers of people are of concern in terms of transmission of the virus.

Recommendation: While social distancing works well outdoors, it doesn't always work indoors.

“If you are on the street and pass someone, remember that it takes a dose and time to become infected,” he notes. “You would have to be in the airstream next to a person for more than 5 minutes to become infected.”

However, if you are in a poorly ventilated area with recirculated air, infection will occur much faster.

On the subject: CDC statistics: from what people infected with coronavirus actually die

10. You spend too much time in a crowded room.

When you are in the grocery store or any other common area, do not linger there. Dr. Bromage points out that there are various factors to consider when assessing the risk of infection (via the respiratory tract). These include the amount of airspace, the number of people in the space, and the time people spend in it.

Recommendation: The longer you are in a crowded store, the higher the chance of infection. As Dr. Anthony Fauci, the leading national expert on infectious diseases, said, "The outdoors is always better than indoors."

11. Do you eat in restaurants

Dr. Bromage explains that air circulation in most restaurants can cause airborne droplets to travel more than six feet through the air. And the longer you eat, the higher the chance of infection. In his example, one infected person was having lunch with nine friends.

“During this meal, the asymptomatic carrier released a small amount of virus into the air while breathing in a right-to-left direction,” he explains. — Almost half the people at his table got sick within a week, 75% of the people sitting at the table on the downwind side got infected, and 2 out of 7 people at the downwind table got infected. That is, even people sitting at tables outside the main air flow were infected.”

Recommendation: After a few months of eating at home, the idea of ​​having lunch in a restaurant is very tempting. However, it is important to keep in mind that COVID-19 can spread easily in food service establishments, and not just by touch.

12. You put on weight

After being quarantined and at home, many are impatient to eat and drink in bars and restaurants. But chances are that while sitting at home, most people did not eat very healthy foods. Remember, a healthy and balanced diet keeps your immune system strong and should be a priority during a pandemic.

13. You are wearing gloves incorrectly

Gloves are considered by many people to be a reliable way to protect against exposure to the virus. However, if you do not follow the proper procedure for wearing gloves, including taking them off properly and washing or disinfecting your hands immediately after taking them off, use can do more harm than good.

The Recommendation: “Gloves are useless unless you change or wash them frequently, as they too become contaminated,” explains Dr. Parikh. “It’s better to keep washing your hands.”

14. You attend celebrations, funerals, or other group gatherings

While it may be tempting to attend a group gathering—especially when it involves family, celebration, or mourning—in his blog, Dr. Bromage notes that such gatherings accounted for 10% of “early spread events.”

It tells the story of a man who was infected with the virus but had not yet experienced symptoms. A man shared a takeaway meal with family members, serving it from a shared meal. The next day, he went to the funeral, where he hugged several people. He also attended the birthday party, hugging many of those present. By the time he started showing symptoms, he had a ventilator hooked up and later died. This man has infected both the people he shared a meal with and several people from the funeral and birthday party. And they, in turn, infected others.

Recommendation: Only one person was directly responsible for the infection of 16 people aged 5 to 86 and three deaths. Remember this before meeting in groups, even if meetings are permitted in your city.

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