13 everyday habits that could (and should) change forever after coronavirus

If there’s one thing we hear over and over about preventing the spread of the coronavirus, it’s that we should vigorously wash our hands as often as possible for 20 seconds, or use a hand sanitiser with an alcohol content of at least 60 per cent when we can’t get to a sink. Ideally, once the outbreak has been contained, we’ll keep up these good hand-washing habits.

The guidelines aren’t new, by the way – this is what we should have been doing all along. If something good emerges from this crisis, it will be that more people will become aware of the importance of washing their hands and make it a habit moving forward.

Here are 10 ways you’re washing your hands wrong. 

It always happens when you’re running late: You get to the train and it’s incredibly crowded, or you finally get an elevator and it’s already full of people. In situations like those, it’s tempting to cram yourself in there – comfort (of you and your fellow passengers), be damned. But since the coronavirus took hold seriously, people are thinking twice about getting into crowded spaces. As a result, there’s a good chance that people will continue reconsider smooshing themselves into a crowded train carriage – now and in the future.

Whether you’re in a crowded space or not, you should always wash your hands immediately after touching these 10 things.

One of the most common comments from those who aren’t taking the coronavirus seriously is that they’re not worried because it probably won’t affect them. But these people are missing the point when they refuse to stop going to bars or stay away from others. The point of self-isolation and social distancing isn’t only to protect yourself – it’s also to make sure you don’t pass the virus along to other people, especially those who are especially vulnerable (like the elderly and immunocompromised). Even if you don’t feel sick, you could still be an asymptomatic carrier and infect other people.

This outbreak has been a lesson of the tenet of public-health ethics that sometimes you have to put your own autonomy on the back burner for the greater good. Once we’ve made it to the other side of this pandemic, hopefully we’ll do so with a better understanding of public health and will continue the habits we’ve learned.

Here are 9 coronavirus myths you should stop believing. 

Another one of the more visible ways the coronavirus outbreak has changed our everyday life is how it has impacted education. School districts in major cities around the world are closed, and many universities have sent their students and faculty home in favour of moving to online classes. This could prompt some changes for the future, like making more university classes available online, or having emergency plans in place in primary and high schools in case something like this happens again. While some schools are better equipped to handle these closures than others, we’ll likely see most schools investing in more equipment and resources needed to move their classroom learning online.

Here are some must-follow rules to get more done when working from home. 

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Source: RD.com