Coronavirus - staying safe
I have been encouraged to start a weekly ‘column’ - though that sounds rather grand - with some nugget points to help with the epidemic. So here are my thoughts – though I couldn’t contain myself to just a nugget or two. We are on stay at home and entering a period of rapidly escalating numbers of people being ill – two weeks behind the Italian experience. Expect the news to be alarming but realise we can take many steps to minimise our risks. Managing a new lifestyle requires thought and effort and should be considered a long term commitment.
So for the national advice go to www.gov.uk/coronavirus Avoid the many ‘false news’ sites. We have made a rule of no corona input (eg TV, texts etc) during the first two and last two hours of our day to avoid being ‘hyperstimulated’. It can get exhausting.
A key immediate issue is how to keep the virus out of your home. Think of all incoming objects as the potential enemy. For shoppers, on your return assume it’s on your bags and packaging and your hands – first wash your hands, and as the virus lives on most non-shiny surfaces for 24 hours leave the goods unpacked for 24 hours unless they have to be refrigerated in which case put them in the fridge and wash the fridge door handle and then your hands again. Same for milk deliveries. For the post consider leaving unopened for 24 hours or as one of our community is doing putting it in the oven. 5 minutes at preheated 70 degrees will do and less of a fire hazard that at my enquirer’s rather higher 120 degree temperature! Either way wash your hands. Finally if you go to the garage or an ATM remember the virus lives on shiny surfaces for 3 days – perhaps longer but that’s a working assumption – so use disposable gloves and/or gel and wash your hands on your return. And on walks you may be touching metal gates where others have touched…wash hands on return. The key point is to wash your hands after any ‘incoming’………wow………what a world eh? May be take a look at the summary of staying safe.
Next how to take care of yourself. Get into a routine – avoid daytime TV and getting up late.
Specifically for your health this seems a good summary: https://ourhealth.directory/living-with-coronavirus/. All the advice is straightforward. You will see it includes taking probiotics and Sue and Geoff in Charlcutt are offering a 20% discount on some of their products for the local community – if interested contact https://microbz.co.uk/product/bio-live-dark-a-living-fermented-food-supplement/ and use the code BREMHILL20.
Exercise is important both physically and mentally as well as for your immune system. Get your bikes out, don your walking shoes, and/or sort out the garden!
Finally stimulate your mind - learn a new skill…….many options available via the internet. Here’s a quiz to start you off. These are all illnesses – to keep the theme going 😊
Q1: ⚫ 💀
Q2: 🦶👄
Q3: ☕ 🐝
Q4: 🐷🦅
Q5: 🟨🥵
Q6: 💊 🎳 🅰️
Q7: 🐓 🅿️ 🐃
Q8: 🍺 🦠
Q9: 🇹🇭 🍜 🆔 🥵
Q10: 🦘 🔔 🅰️
Bonus: S🍑
Answers next week………..would someone like to organise a village quiz on Zoom?
And to switch off? for a light uplifting film on Amazon Prime we watched Fishermen’s Friends and can recommend it.
Enjoy the peace and the beauty of where we live and the current weather.
With love
Derek
Ps all feedback and ideas welcome.