Blog – Basic COVID Safety Tips

How to Keep Yourself Safe From COVID-19

In addition to how severely COVID-19 can affect people – the death rate in the U.S. is estimated at 1.8 percent of all diagnosed cases – the coronavirus that causes COVID is also extremely contagious because people who are infected but aren’t showing symptoms can still get others sick.

The most common way the virus spreads is from person to person, when people are within six feet of each other, especially if they are speaking loudly, singing, coughing, or sneezing. While it’s less common, it can also be spread from contaminated surfaces, such as doorknobs or countertops, on the hands to the mouth, nose, or eyes.

While nothing short of complete, long-term isolation can guarantee that you won’t be infected by the coronavirus, there are a few steps you can take to minimize the likelihood of getting sick:

• Avoid close contact with others. This is the “social distancing” you keep hearing about. It means maintaining at least six feet of distance between you and other people any time you’re outside the home. It’s estimated that the virus can travel that far in the air.
• Wear a mask. Masks catch a lot of the tiny water droplets that carry the virus. So, while it offers some protection for the wearer, it mainly protects other people from the wearer, who might not even realize he or she is infected if there are no symptoms present. And remember to wear it over the nose, as well as the mouth. Wearing your mask below the nose is almost like not wearing a mask at all.
• Wash your hands… a lot. Most people tend to touch their faces without even thinking about it, and that’s how many viruses get into your body. As often as possible, wash your hands with soap and water, scrubbing for at least 20 seconds. If there’s no soap, a hand sanitizer that’s at least 60 percent alcohol will do.

At Workplace Screening Intelligence, we provide a wide range of services that include clinical laboratory testing, employment drug testing, parental drug testing, and DNA paternity testing, as well as COVID-19 screening. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 800-338-5515 or visit our website at www.workplacescreening.com.