>U Mom Knows Best: How To Best Practice Social Distancing And Self Quarantine

Friday, March 27, 2020

How To Best Practice Social Distancing And Self Quarantine

The rules of social distancing are hard for people to understand


 This respiratory virus is real and people are becoming sick There are way too many unnecessary deaths happening that may have been prevented if people would choose to practice social distancing and sheltering at home. If we want to stop the spread of this terrible virus, we need to flatten the curve and everyone needs to do their part of listening to medical experts like the CDC. We may not like the CDC guidelines on the virus and they may be tough to follow but this is a time that we need to stop thinking of only ourselves but to think of others. We need to follow the advice of Jesus and Love Thy Neighbor. Our neighbor right now is not only those we have contact with but also people we don't know. We need to extend our love to people who are suffering from the lung virus and also to those who are essential workers during this virus outbreak. For those who are not essential workers, like doctors, nurses, truck drivers, grocery store workers, and many other behind the scene employees, our job is easy compared to what the essential workers are doing. The essential workers are happy that they have a job but at the same time worried if they will become sick with the deadly illness. 


This is not a time to ignore the health warnings

 If you are not an essential worker, your job is easy right now. All you have to do is stay at home! Sure that may be hard but when you consider what others who have to work are dealing with, it does not seem that bad. Sure you might have to change the way you do things or might have to make sacrifices like cooking at home or eating beans for dinner instead of fresh salad. You might have to get your groceries delivered or be creative with how you clean your tushie. You might have to drink water from the faucet instead of a bottle but you will not become sick from this. These minor inconveniences are temporary and so small when compared to the health care workers who are not only risking their lives but are exhausted. So if your city has recommended to stay at home and not go anywhere unless it is an emergency. Please do that and help flatten the curve of the illness. Staying home may also prevent you and your family from catching the virus. The longer it takes for people to listen the longer it will take to get back to a normal life.


What social distancing means

While it may be tough to have to stay away from others, it is the best thing to do right now. Social distancing may help stop or slow down the spread of the disease that affects the lungs by allowing the health care system to more readily care for patients over time. This means if you have to leave the house for exercise or for an emergency like sickness or much-needed food, then stay at least 6 feet or more away from people. This is to protect yourself or others from getting the illness. The CDC says that the virus is thought to spread mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. These droplets can travel up to 6 feet when a person coughs or sneezes. The below is from the CDC website

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
+ The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
+ Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
+ Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
+ These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

 So when you choose to go inside a crowded grocery store, you may get infected with the virus that affects the respiratory system or infects someone else. The reality is people are contagious many days before they experience Coronavirus symptoms. So stay out of the grocery stores and don't complain that others are not practicing social distancing. If you are choosing to go inside a store or restaurant, you are not doing your job of reducing the numbers inside that store. The fact is it is hard for places to enforce the 6-foot social distancing suggestion. The law officers who are dealing with the social distancing rules can not be at all the stores. So you have to choose to follow the 6-foot social distancing rule or better yet schedule a pick-up for your groceries or get the food delivered. Don't complain that it takes 7 days to get a time-slot to pick up your groceries. Just eat the food you have at home and think ahead about what you need to buy.

Other ways you can practice social distancing
If you are one of the lucky ones who can work from home, then do just that. Choose to not visit friends or schedule playdates. Don't let your kids play with friends, not even at the park. I know that is tough to not let your kids see friends but it is necessary, I know I had to do this to my kids. When I texted their friend's mom and told her that my kids would not be hanging out at the park, my friend seemed relieved that I decided that as I think she was having a tough time telling her kids that they could not go to the park. 

+ Working from home instead of at the office
+ Closing schools or switching to online classes
+ Visiting loved ones by electronic devices instead of in-person
+ Canceling or postponing conferences and large meetings- do online meetings

What you can do while social distancing

 While choosing to shelter at home, there are things that you can do. You can go outside daily to exercise. Just make sure to stay 6 feet away from other people. Exercise is very important when you are at risk of catching a virus. At this time, no one is safe from this virus. So make sure to keep your body healthy with exercise. The fresh air and sunshine will make you feel good too and keep you from getting depressed about the situation. You can also workout inside. Check out these best exercises to stay in shape.

Some other things to do while stuck inside

Now is the time to do things that you have put off because you were too busy. So here are things that I am enjoying while self-distancing myself and family.

+ Bake some bread or cookies- Check out this pretzel bread recipe
+ Binge watch your favorite tv show
+ Call someone on the phone
+ Have an online visit with someone, your mom will love this one
+ Try a new recipe- check out these 22 meatless recipe ideas
+ Start a home project
+ Take an online class
+ Play with your kids-think boardgames
+Take a long relaxing bath
+ Start a garden
+Clean the house
+ Sew some face masks for health care workers- go here to get free materials


What is self-quarantine?

If you think that you have been exposed to the new virus or are have risk factors for coming down with this illness, like a compromised immune system, then it is best to practice self-quarantine. Health experts recommend that self-quarantine lasts 14 days. Two weeks provides enough time for them to know whether or not they will become ill and be contagious to other people. 

You might be asked to practice self-quarantine if you have recently returned from traveling to a part of the country or the world where virus is spreading rapidly, or if you have knowingly been exposed to an infected person.

Self-quarantine involves

+ Washing hands frequently, everyone should already be doing this
+ Not sharing things like towels and utensils
+ Staying at home-not leaving the house to even exercise
+ Not having visitors
+ Staying at least 6 feet away from other people in your household

What is isolation?

 For people who are confirmed to have this lung illness, isolation is appropriate. Isolation is a health care term that means keeping people who are infected with a contagious illness away from those who are not infected. Isolation can take place at home or at a hospital or care facility. Special personal protective equipment will be used to care for these patients in health care settings.

What if I think that I may have the illness?

 If you are feeling sick, then stay home. If your symptoms are mild and you are not having trouble breathing, again stay home. Staying home prevents the spread of the disease. Many states have hotlines, websites, and video doctors that you can call to get your questions answered and it is best to use these resources before heading to a doctor or ER to get tested. When you choose to go to the ER to get tested for the C virus and your symptoms don't need hospitalization, you are taking up the time and space from someone who needs medical attention. If you are having trouble breathing then go to an emergency room. The CDC website has the best information for what to do if you feel sick, so please read this before heading to the emergency room.

 The state of New Mexico is urging anyone who feels like they might have signs of lung illness contact the virus hotline before they visit their healthcare provider. 
That number is 855-600-3453 or call 833-551-0518 for general questions


Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the operator that you have or think you might have this illness. If possible, put on a facemask before medical help arrives.

Why I chose to write this article

  I chose to write this article as I have many friends who are risking their lives daily to help stop the spread of the virus. These fiends are the essential workers who are needed during the C epidemic. They are providing much-needed services beyond health care. I have friends who work in grocery stores and in daycare centers. I have friends who are truck drivers and friends who are handing out meals to seniors. I am sure that you can think of friends that you have like the police and others. My husband and son are essential workers and I worry about their safety from this virus. My son is working hard to repair trucks so truck drivers can get medical supplies and food to places. So that means he may have contact with an infected delivery person. My husband works for the health department and is working hard enforcing to enforce social distancing rules in stores and restaurants. Yesterday, he had to visit over 25 grocery stores to see if people are practicing social distancing, the sad fact is most stores were crowded. So that put my husband at risk for catching the bad virus. So the best way to protect yourself and others from this awful virus that makes people sick is to do your part of social distancing and not expect others to comply when you are not following the rules. My husband had complaints from people that complained that the food stores were crowded. These very people are adding to the number who are in the store. 

Some other things I am practicing to stay safe

 I am choosing to protect the delivery service people and not opening the door when I get packages or food deliveries. I wait until they are 6 feet away from my door, that way they don't have to worry about catching the virus and they can continue their job. I am washing my hands after opening mail and packages. Right now the medical experts are not sure if the deadly virus spreads through skin contact but it is better to be safe. I have sensitive skin so my hands are reacting to all the hand sanitizer that the delivery people are using. When we got groceries delivered, my husband wiped down the packages with a sanitizing solution. Here is a good article that will help you deal with accepting packages during the outbreak. I am also having my family wash their hands often. Especially after we have been outside or in the car to pick up lunches from the school. Handwashing is always your best defense from germs. Check out these best handwashing practices. There may be other illnesses in your community and those germs may make you sick from something else. Any sickness will weaken your immune system and make it hard for your body to recover from the co vid virus if you come in contact with it. So keep washing those hands. Also, also make sure to use plenty of lotion so your hands do not dry out from all the handwashing. Dry hands that have open cracks on them are a good way for germs to get into your body.

 I am praying more and learning to trust in the Lord more. My prayer times have increased and the people that I am praying for have increased. I am learning more to not let fear consume me and learning more about thinking of others. 


Here are some other articles that I wrote about what I am doing to protect myself from the virus.




Help Prevent the spread of the virus
 Poster created by the City of Albuquerque Department of Environmental health



18 comments:

Srishti Singh said...

This is a much needed post for this time. Thank you for sharing

Jaredamy said...

We have been trying to practice these tips too. If I need to shop I go by myself and take precautions.

Kim Kay Blake said...

This post was well-needed since my city goes on lock down starting tonight at 10pm. This was definitely helpful information.

Celebrate Woman said...

Love all the resources and explanations you have gathered in one place. Very helpful. Kudos!

Littlemisadvencha said...

The things Im doing right now are the following: clean the house, blogging, take online classes and cooking. I love to try some of your recommendations. Thank you for sharing!

Cristina Petrini said...


There are those who complain in this period that we only talk about this, but welcome if this helps each other to respect the rules and end this moment as soon as possible.

Gust si Aroma said...

It's so important to be informed, to know more about it, and to respect the rules. Thanks for this info!

Nyxie said...

Excellent post explaining a lot of what we need to be doing right now!
Thank you for sharing.

Marie at Complete Literature said...

I had to do my grocery shopping yesterday to stock up on the basics, milk, butter, bread, rice, etc. I wanted to do it then so that I could get back home and stay home as the numbers keep going up and I am feeling a need to stay out of it all. But I am happy that the two stores I went to were doing a great job of social distancing. Actually the customers were. Everybody was staying well away from everyone else and the stores were not overcrowded.
Prayers for those who are essential workers that they can remain healthy as we all try to get through this.

Britt K said...

You've got some great advice here. I honestly believe that a large number of people still don't 'get it'. My husband is still working and due to his job, he can't work from home. For that reason, we are even more aware of what we're doing and the choices he's making as I know that he's heading out where he's exposed each day. When he gets home, it's straight into the shower before anything else, his clothes directly into the laundry, to avoid bringing anything unnecessary into the house.

While we may be experiencing a shift in our 'normal', the sacrifices are truly minor for most people when you consider the bigger picture. Would you rather spend some time at home eating a little differently and chatting via video chat instead of in person for a while or face the reality of friends and family members potentially losing their lives to this virus? That's what people need to keep in mind!

Why Girls Are Weird said...

SO helpful! I'm seeing a lot of people NOT practicing #safeathome and social distancing. It makes it really hard for those of us essential employees to do our jobs.

Stefani @ MommyEnterprises.com said...

I wish everyone would realize how serious this is and listen to what is being recommended.

Margaret @ Live Like No One Else said...

What a great post. It's not just social-distancing any more as our state is on a mandatory "shelter-in-place" right now. It was supposed to last only a couple of weeks, but now they are saying it may last through the end of April. It is important for people to take this seriously. But I'm a homebody so being at home has not affected me in any way. And I'm loving having my husband home. Now he has time to do all the home projects he never has time for! :)

Kelly said...

It seems so easy, yet is so hard to do. For many, this is a blessing in disguise. For others, the quarantine causes anxiety and restlessness. You have great ideas to help aid that. Thank you for your post!

Myrah Duque said...

It's great to be spending time with the family, but honestly didn't want it like this under these circumstances.

Chantal Gray said...

That was some great information. These are times where people need some thing to reflect and think to do. Great article!!!!

Joanna said...

In my country we are already in the 14th day of quarantine, nobody is allowed to go out unless for urgent matters such as buying food or medicine.

Prime Beauty said...

My city is on lockdown for 21 days and it hasn't even been a week!

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