Top Ways to Protect Your Health as America Reopens

Many people assume that because things are opening up, we're in the clear to return to normal life. However, as more states alleviate their shelter-in-place restrictions, it's becoming more important than ever to protect your health. Of course, you have your obvious practices like washing your hands, keeping a 6-foot distance between people, and wearing a mask, but we've compiled a list of some of our recommended ways to protect yourself as America reopens.

Proper Mask Care

What to do when wearing a mask and how to keep it clean

• Wash your hands thoroughly before putting on and taking off your mask.
• When putting on your mask, make sure your mask covers your nose to the bottom of your chin. If your mask does not cover below your chin, your mask might be too small for your face.
• Once you have your mask on, try avoiding touching it. The outside of your mask is going to be constantly exposed, so you want to make sure to minimize your risk by not touching it.
• Wash your re-usable masks after every use. If your mask has a removable filter, replace the filter at least once a week.
• Make sure to store your masks in a clean area once you're not using it.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Surfaces

• If you're commuting to work or having to use your car for errands, wipe down the door handle before entering your car.
• When you get home, wipe down the interior of your car - the steering wheel, mirrors, any buttons you may have pressed, the center console, etc.
• When entering and exiting your home, wipe down all door handles, garage door buttons, if you have them, and light switches.
• If you're at the grocery store, bring wipes with you to wipe down any carts or baskets you may use.
• Wipe down your desk and any other supplies once you get to work.
• We know this can be tedious, but try disinfecting your phone as much as you can. We pick up and put down our phones and touch our face with it all day every day so it's really important to disinfect it as often as possible.
• BONUS: if you want to take extra precaution, opt to use touchless payment options like Apple Pay when paying for you need to checkout. If you must use a card, wipe down your card after use.

Doing Laundry

• When you get home, change your clothes immediately and put them either in the laundry or separate from your clean clothes (we're talking about those people who tend to throw their clothes on the floor on a chair when they get home).
• If you have one laundry basket, make sure you disinfect it before filling it with your clean laundry.
• If you can, wash your dirty clothes with gloves on. If you don't have gloves, make sure you wash your hands after putting your clothes in the washer.
• Treat shoes and hats like masks, clean after use, and try not to touch them during the day you're out and about.

We hope you learned something new and can apply these practices if you must go back to work or need to go out. Even though America is starting to reopen please must continue to take precautions and practice proper sanitary methods.