When the COVID-19 pandemic swept throughout the entire world, billions of lives were upended and extremely changed in just a matter of days. The typical things we used to do were abruptly put to a stop. Going to work, walking around the neighborhood, hitting the gym, eating out, hanging out with friends, and a lot more “normal” stuff were all prohibited when the lockdowns were implemented globally.
Other than frontline healthcare workers and essentials, almost all industries were shut down which caused countless employees and workers to retreat to their homes with no job or financial security for the next few months.
To say that life has been hard is a huge understatement. For this reason, a lot of folks were relieved when the lockdowns were lifted in June and the economies were reopened. People were once again allowed out of their homes and somehow regain some semblance of normalcy in their lives, albeit under certain health and safety conditions recommended by the WHO and CDC.
According to both WHO and CDC, COVID-19 protocols should still be observed such as frequent hand washing and sanitizing, social distancing, and wearing of face masks and face shields among others.
If you need to go out of your home anytime during this pandemic, make sure to avoid the following places or risk ending up in the hospital with exorbitant medical billing statements because you contracted the disease from someone.
The 4 C’s You Should Avoid While the COVID-19 Virus Is Still Around
When you’re out in public, you need to watch out for certain places where COVID-19 is spread more easily. Each of the following settings has different levels of risks that you need to be aware of.
Crowded Places
Even during a pandemic, some people just can’t avoid crowds. Do your best to stay away from places where large crowds are gathered, even if there is some semblance of social distancing in these spots. These places have uncontrolled and unregulated people traffic and in most cases, they stay and linger there and are in no hurry to get out.
Close-Contact Settings
Close-contact settings are places where it is hard to maintain a safe distance from other people. Narrow walkways, tight spaces, places with very little maneuvering room, locations where people have close-range conversations, and the like are places you should avoid going to or through especially if the people in them are not wearing masks.
Confined Spaces
Areas with poor ventilation and air circulation are also some of the places that you should not go to. Keep in mind that virus-carrying droplets can stay in the air for about 8 minutes. A stale and musty environment is not a suitable place to be in right now. Rather, look for places with plenty of open windows that allow air to circulate well.
Combination of the Three Settings
While each type of space listed above has a different risk level in terms of exposure to the virus, places where all of the above-mentioned overlap—meaning it’s crowded, close-contact, and confined—the risk of contracting the disease is at its highest.
If you have no business going out, it is better to just stay put at home. Only go out if it’s completely necessary. And if you are stepping out, make sure to keep yourself and others protected. Keep your distance, wear your PPE, avoid touching high-touch surfaces, and wash your hands regularly.
