Caring for your PPE If you use disposable protective equipment, all you need to do is toss it into a garbage container lined with a plastic bag. However, if you have reusable equipment, you’ll need to do a bit more work. For eye protection, wash your goggles or face mask thoroughly with soap and water, disinfect it, then place it in a clean and disinfected storage space until the next time you use it. Masks should be placed directly into the laundry and washed in a hot cycle with regular detergent, then dried thoroughly. If you don’t do laundry every day, put your reusable mask in a lined container separate from your regular laundry hamper until you’re able to wash it. Don’t use it again until it’s clean. COVID 411 Most people who develop COVID-19 will feel better in about a week. But what if you start to feel worse? You may: • Experience mild to moderate shortness of breath • Be unable to lie down because you’re having trouble breathing • Have difficulty managing a chronic condition because of breathing difficulties If you notice any of the above symptoms, it’s time to call your doctor or get in touch with another health-care provider. They can talk to you about your symptoms and determine the next steps which you should take. COVID 911 Some symptoms indicate that you need immediate medical attention: • Severe breathing difficulties (struggling to breathe, speaking in single words) • Severe chest pain • Difficulty waking up • Confusion • Losing consciousness. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, you should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you’re visiting emergency, remember to call ahead first to let them know about your symptoms and that you have (or believe that you may have) COVID-19. A final thought In a world turned upside down, the most important thing may be to live a life that’s both healthy and as close to normal as possible. If sunshine and warmth save your sanity during the cold months, going south for the winter may be a choice which you’re ready to make. Just remember to play it safe: wear your mask, keep your distance and wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands! Protecting yourself If your spouse or partner (or someone in your household) has COVID-19, protecting your health is just as important as caring for the person who’s sick. (The last thing you want is for two people to have COVID-19 at the same time!) To minimize your chances of becoming infected, keep your distance as much as possible. You should sleep in a separate room (if one is available), use a different washroom, and avoid sharing personal objects such as eating utensils, towels and face cloths, or electronic devices. If you’re going to be less than two metres (about six feet) away from the sick person, wear all your personal protective equipment (PPE) − medical mask, eye protection and disposable gloves. The sick person should also wear a medical mask. Provide necessary care, but limit the time you spend close to the sick person. Disposable gloves are important because they help to prevent you from contaminating your hands when you’re in the sick person’s space. Wear gloves when touching the sick person or anything in their surroundings, including surfaces which they touch, and their laundry or other soiled items (dishes, utensils, tissues). You should also wear gloves when you are washing the sick person’s dishes, doing their laundry or disinfecting surfaces which they have touched. Be sure to remove the gloves once you leave that space, and never reuse them. Using your PPE PPE will only protect you if you use it properly. Proper use begins with learning to put on and take off your equipment. To put on your PPE: • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. • Holding your mask by its ear loops (or ties), put it on your face without touching the front. • Put on your eye protection (goggles or face shield). • Put on some disposable gloves. To remove your PPE: • Remove your disposable gloves and put in a no-touch waste container lined with plastic. • Wash your hands. • Remove your eye goggles or face shield without touching the front (it’s considered contaminated). • Take off your mask by untying the ties or pulling off the ear loops. Again, avoid touching the front of your mask. • Wash your hands again. Sharing a bedroom If you and a sick person can’t sleep in separate rooms, try to sleep in separate beds. CSANews | SPRING 2021 | 39 COVID-19
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx