From: Terry L. Brock
Colmbus
As a high risk individual regarding COVID-19, It can be exhausting knowing that many decisions that used to be insignificant now could be a matter of life and death.
For those in the same predicament, I would like to share practices I use in a typical day.
My day starts at Columbus Regional Health with my daily cancer treatment. I enter the building through the first set of automatic doors on the south entrance, I choose this entrance as the revolving door at the main entrance contains more airborne germs and I do not want to touch the side door handles. Also, more people congregate there.
Once inside, screening personnel fit me with a mask. Then, using the back of my coat sleeve, I press the opener to the second set of doors. I proceed to the cancer center, keeping spacing between myself and others until I reach the center where I check-in and locate a seat with good spacing from the other patients. I do not touch any countertops or chair arms with my bare hands. Soon, I change into a gown and lay my clothes on a chair vs in a public locker. I use the bottom of my gown to open the door.
After my treatment, I use the bathroom and use wet paper towels to open the door so as not to touch the door handle. At the gas station I utilize a Walmart bag when touching their selection screen and to place the pump handle into my tank. Once I‘m done I discard the bag into their trashcan.
At the credit union I am concerned that their drive-thru tubes are not being sanitized after each transaction, so I carry hand cleaner to neutralize germs. I wear a mask at the post office as I find people will pack together like sardines. Even with the mask I keep 6 feet back from the end of the line and use hand cleaner after I leave the building.
One of my biggest concerns is with physical currency, especially coins as the virus can survive for an extended period of time on metal surfaces.
I use VISA and EFT more and launder any new paper money I receive and hand wash coins.
So how do we get back to work, send the kids to school, have a meal at our favorite eatery?
I feel the key is enhanced screenings including mobile self-screening devices. Once we can determine if one has any virus at the points of entry in a timely manner there would be no reason to deny one access to a contained area.
This would not be without it’s challenges, but given that we can now do drive-thru testing, I feel we could deploy effective solutions that would allow us to regain our mobility and productivity in the near future. Long term, I think nano technology will be the tool that will enable our bodies to destroy these vicious invaders.
