Due to Covid 19, the whole world went through a period of isolation and anxiety, and even though the lockdown has long been lifted, life hasn’t gone back to exactly what it was before it all began. The pandemic raised a number of concerns, for which we may have to change or adopt certain habits and mindset in order to keep ourselves safe, as well as those around us.
Here are some that I feel are worth discussing.
Masks, sanitizers, The usuals
Although, a lot of people can be seen wearing a mask nowadays, experts maintain that everyone should be wearing a mask when going outside. This is because covid 19 appears to be airborne and can exist in water droplets in the air, which could infect healthy individuals if it somehow gets inside their system. Another precautionary practice is to wash hands or use alcohol based hand-sanitizers as often as possible. This way, any virus that may exist in one’s hands will be wiped out before the hand ever touches the mouth, nose or eyes.
No handshakes
Handshakes are not recommended under these circumstances. Granted, most of us are in the habit of extending our hands to our friends whenever we meet. It's in our nature. Especially, when it has been a while since you’ve last met your friend, it can be particularly tempting to join hands or even hug them in excitement. But experts warn that such bodily contact can be very unsafe, and can enable easy transmission of the infection.
Eat from hygienic sources
Dhaka is where you can find food vendors in every corner of the city. This is because street food and fast food is very popular among our people, especially the youth. It’s part of our culture at this point. However, it is recommended that one avoid purchasing fast food from sources that pay no heed to cleanliness, and rather, buy from sources that maintain proper hygiene. Better yet, order online. That way, you wouldn’t even have to step outside.
Don’t hide if you are unwell
There is absolutely no reason to hide your illness from your friends. If one starts developing symptoms of covid 19, then one must definitely physically isolate oneself, in order to keep from transferring the virus to others. But there is no reason to not keep in touch with friends and relatives through social media. In fact, an exuberant conversation with friends will distract one during such stressful times and motivate them to get better soon.
Don’t mind if someone you know is being extra conscious
While the majority of us have started going out and are socializing outside to a certain extent, there are people who are still very anxious. Some of us may not want to meet up as often. Some may not want to handshake. Some may want to sanitize everything they touch, including your hands before hanging out. And it is important for the rest of us to not get upset or even jest about such behaviors, and rather, help them exercise caution in whatever way they choose. Because we never know why they are being extra cautious. Perhaps, there is someone in their home who is susceptible to the infection and are among the high risk groups. Therefore, one shouldn’t be made to feel odd due to them being extra careful.
All in all, the coronavirus pandemic has affected each of us in different ways, which may have led to some behaving differently than the others. But as long as we maintain the respect we initially had for each other, and follow the guidelines to keep us and our communities safe, things are gonna be alright.