Minimizing Health Risks During COVID-19

To call the threat presented by the novel coronavirus a worldwide emergency would be an understatement. Despite affecting every part of the world, COVID-19 has hit the U.S. particularly hard, due largely in part to harmful misinformation and the lack of a coordinated federal response. As such, going about many of the daily tasks we once regarded as mundane now carries a fair amount of risk. Given the highly contagious nature of COVID-19, it’s in the best interest of every American to take active steps to minimize their odds of exposure. In the interest of maintaining your good health throughout this worsening pandemic, put the following tips to good use.

 

Make Virtual Doctor Appointments

Given the current situation, many of us are understandably hesitant to set foot inside of medical facilities. Outside of emergencies, a fair number of people have deemed going to the doctor in response to minor — or seemingly minor — problems not worth the risk. If this describes your situation, considering consulting a virtual doctor if you find yourself afflicted by issues that don’t constitute emergencies. Speaking to a medical professional via video chat can provide you with the answers you seek while enabling you to minimize your risk of exposure to COVID-19.

 

Take Advantage of No-Contact Pickup Options

Every time you venture out into public during this pandemic, you’re taking a risk. The more crowded your destination, the greater the risk. (Of course, this isn’t to say that non-crowded areas don’t carry risks of their own.) While wanting to get out of the house after being cooped up for an extended period is certainly understandable, it’s far from safe at the present time. This is where no-contact pickup options can really come in handy. Per the name, no-contact pickup entails purchasing groceries, incidentals and various luxury items online and retrieving them from stores without having to go inside or engage in extended interactions with employees. Although the exact mechanics of no-contact pickup vary from business to business, going this route is substantially safer than taking your chances inside a busy store.

 

Order In Instead of Dining Out

Dining at restaurants is among the biggest things many of us have missed doing over the last 10 months. Needless to say, if you do quite a bit of cooking, being able to have a night out and leave the meal prep and cleanup to other people can be both fun and liberating. However, even if most restaurants are currently open in your state, city or township, dining out is extremely ill-advised at the present time. Fortunately, you can still support your favorite eateries by ordering in. While this may not be quite the same as dining out, you’ll still be able to take a break from cooking and enjoy food from a bevy of restaurants from the comfort — and safety — of home.

 

Abstain from Gatherings

Parties, casual get-togethers and other social functions provide us with a chance to connect with friends, neighbors, work acquaintances and family members. Although many of us identify as introverts, humans are, by and large, social creatures who desire the company of others. Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit these individuals fairly hard. In fact, being cut off from others has prompted many people to take ill-advised risks.

As difficult as putting your social life on hold may be, it’s in everyone’s best interest that you abstain from taking part in gatherings for the duration of the pandemic. By organizing and/or attending gatherings, you’re not only putting your own health — and life — at risk, but also the well-being of everyone in attendance. Furthermore, depending on the size of the gathering and where you’re based, you may even be breaking the law. In addition to taking gatherings off the table, make a point of not interacting with mask-less individuals.

 

Despite an alarming level of dangerous misinformation, it can’t be denied that COVID-19 is ravaging the U.S. With over 23,000,000 confirmed cases and more than 389,000 deaths, the United States is the hardest hit country in the world. In light of the virus’s high degree of contagiousness and the country’s constantly-worsening infection numbers, it behooves every American to take active measures to keep themselves — and the people around them — safe. When working to minimize your risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus, the tips discussed above are likely to come in handy.

 

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Written by HealthStatus Crew
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus teams with authors from organizations to share interesting ideas, products and new health information to our readers.

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