Strategies to prevent contact with COVID-19

[Guest]

Ideas to survive this crisis in which even the smallest change can make all the difference..

I got an email today from a friend worrying about whether by going out to his driveway each day to collect the Tribune Herald was putting him at risk of contacting COVID-19 from the paperboy that delivered it. Interesting idea.. delivery person sneezes on paper and..

In which I responded, good point, maybe go all digital for a while?

And then shared with him the few personal strategies I have implemented for when I have to go out and do all that hunter gatherer stuff..

I am using recycled KTA vegetable bags to carry my credit card in. That along with a pen, in a different pocket, so I use my own when signing, is making it so I have no inadvertent contact with others when making purchases.

The things I buy come home, but before they come into my house they are arranged on my lanai and assessed, and many items hit lightly with a bleach/water spray. Items I don't need immediately are "quarantined" for a few days before they get mixed in with all the other things in my pantry.

I do the same when picking up my mail. The clear plastic bag allows me to open my mailbox, reach in with my hand already in a plastic bag, and when I withdraw the mail I am able to then wrap it in the plastic bag, which then protects me and still allows me to see and sort through it.

Another strategy, go to the market when they open. The earlier the better. Even if they don't have special kupuna hours as some (Foodland) have put in place, at least one can expect the conditions to be the least threat of any other time of the day.

And, I am hoping you all will have more to add..

I'll note: I think this is insane, easily overkill, and neurotic (fear mongering?). But, you know, I really don't want to get sick. So, as the guy on the TV said, if it looks like you are being overreactive you're probably doing it right. At least that is what those pictures of military convoys of the dead in Italy suggest..

[randomq]

Use the self-checkout line. Pack a lunch and don't go to restaurants, even for takeout. Reserve hand sanitizer for your car, and use it every time you get in before touching anything else. Stop smoking in any form.

Also, call your kapuna, and see if they need anything. If you bring them stuff, wipe it down before they touch it.

[ironyak]

For those re-using a mask multiple times, always disinfect your hands before going to put it on (from a sealed container), minimize touching the outer surface only as needed to assure a tight fit (do not touch the inner surface ever). Once in place, DO NOT ADJUST or touch in any way. When you return to your vehicle, disinfect hands again and remove mask using ONLY the straps. Place back in storage, disinfect hands again, and possibly rotate to other masks for future trips if stock allows. This gives time for masks to dry (moisture makes them less effective as static charge is how they trap microbes) and for the elastic to rest as it is the first part to wear out and cause a loose fit.

CDC Guidance on proper N95 usage, and reuse strategies, from back when they gave a **** about us.

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-133/...10-133.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hcwcont...xtuse.html

[1voyager1]

Back during the eruption I bought 3M 6200 - 1/2 face masks for each of us along with 2 sets of 60923 acid gas/P100 cartridges for each mask for protection from the sulphur gasses evolved.
I did use mine once for a couple of hours.

Plus, I had almost 2 boxes of 3M 8210 masks left over from when I had my business.
I have used about 1/4 box in 6 years working around home for sanding, grinding, painting, etc.
I have just purchased a pair of safety glasses for myself to be used with the 6200 mask, and have a full face shield if needed.

Corona virus, the COVID-19 in effect, are believed to be, if I remember right, about 1.2mn dia.
That may still be open to revision.

The 3M 8210 masks are M95: 95% effective filtration for, I believe, 0.3 micron particles.
The biggest problem with these is that they're approaching being 10 years old, but still in the plastic bag and the original box.
I'd guess they're still good and effective even as old as they are.

Their quality and protection is much less than the 6200 mask.

I bought thru Amazon 6 pair of 3M 2091 P100 particulate filters that fit the 6200 masks.
The P100 filters are rated at 99.75% filtration of 0.3 mn particles, and have a more secure face fit than the 8201 masks.
These filters are expected to last up to a month, maybe more.
The 6200 mask, 2091 filters and the safety glasses are my plan for the epidemic when it arrives on Big Island.
Might get myself an aluminum hat too, just in case.

[1voyager1]

I have refrained from explaining my regimen for my health protection.
You can laugh and point your finger all you want.
But, here it is:

Reduce my weight and try to become a bit thinner.
Try to get it down to 150 to 155 lbs.
Thinner people are healthier, especially if slightly short on foods eaten.
I should loose about 20# to bring me back into that range, preferably 25#.

Older people do not adsorb nutrients as well younger people do.
They often do not produce as much stomach acid as they used to, creating adsorption problems.
This is not to be equated to the "less food" above.
These are the nutrients derived from the food.
I did have some problems with this then and with little doubt still do even more so due to age.

35 to 40 years ago I had health problems that were treated by, among other things, supplemental nutrients.
If you remove the gobbledygook that means vitamin supplements.
35 to 40 years ago I was prescribed as part of my daily eating to include 1000 B complex, 1000 C, and 400 E.
This was based on testing and probably was more than was needed saturating my system.

I have restarted the supplements with the following changes:
B complex - 500
This amount saturates my body for about 15 hours before I stop dumping the excess.

C - 1000mg
I had dropped it to 500 mg, but a bit of reading had me bring it back up to 1000mg.
I'm going to do a vitamin C bowl tolerance in the near future.
I may raise my dosage after the test.
We'll see.

Vitamin E - 400iu
I made an error with this.
I wanted to order 200iu capsules.
Did 400iu caps instead.
Hopefully these are not too much.
I used to take 400iu back when.
I'll watch very closely that they're not too much for me now.

The only other thing thing that comes to mind right now is get all the sleep you need.
Almost every time I have gotten sick is when I have been shorted on sleep.
Which is included under reduce your stress.
Loss of sleep is a physical stress, one of the most dangerous to your health.
Keep yourself well slept and stress free.
More may come up.
But, those are the major ones to watch if you are basically healthy.

If you do have other health problems get on them and stay on them.
Keep them under control.

Should delete this or post it?
Ahh, hell I'll post it.

[Obie]

Stay home wash your hands !!!!

[randomq]

Vitamin D is important too, get some sun on your skin people.

[PaulW]

Losing weight is a good idea. Sleeping well is a great idea. Exercise helps with both.
Vitamins only necessary if a doctor prescribes them, otherwise you are at best wasting a lot of money or at worst poisoning yourself.
Stay home and wash your hands!

[MarkP]

"Stay home and wash your hands".

I am staying with my parents caring for them as they are both in their late 80s. My mom is pretty much stuck in a chair in front of the TV due to mobility issues. My dad is still active and is constantly looking foe reasons to go out and run errands. I have tried to explain that no countermeasures like wiping doorknobs and shopping cart handles, staying 6ft away from people, etc can compare to simply staying home but he dismisses my concerns with a condescending tone. Plus he is at an age where he simply does not adapt his behavior easily. IOW he doesn't do those things effectively even if he invokes those measures to justify his continued activity outside the house. We just went out to gas up the car. He stayed in the car and I handled the pump wearing gloves which I disposed of before getting back in. We then drove to WalMart to pick up a prescription for my mom. He was driving but pulled into his favorite store for cheap candy and junk food. I reminded him that the CDC was recommending that people over 70 stay home completely. He again dismissed my concerns with a condescending tone. He said he wanted to replenish his stock of chocolate bars. I said "So all the risk for minimal reward, huh?", and he countered "No, not all the risk", which is baffling to me because the virus on the door handle is the same whether you are going in for candy or for lifesaving medication.

When we get home I head for the kitchen sink to wash my hands. No sense touching everything in the house and THEN washing my hands. As best I can tell he rarely washes his hands but he did wash them this time after I was done. To make hand washing easier and more likely I had previously bought a liquid dish detergent dispenser, the kind with a plunger on top and a spout. He asked whether we could switch back to the old plastic squeeze bottle as the new dispenser was "too awkward".

I could go on. These errands like going out every morning to get chicken nuggets at Burger King give his life meaning. I have been trying to make breakfast at home instead and this makes me the enemy to a small degree. I do it because it means less unnecessary contact with the outside world and also it has to be healthier than fast food. He just doesn't appreciate these concerns.

[randomq]

That's the problem with all these strategies, there's someone in your life that just won't follow them, so it undermines your efforts. Retired people have less excuse, but young people will go into work half dead to get a paycheck. If staying at home is not mandatory, most won't.

Best strategy: get tests like South Korea, identify the infected, and then only they and their recent contacts have to be contained. Information is key.