10 habits that increase the likelihood of contracting coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic that has engulfed the whole world has forced people to reconsider their attitude to many things. What previously seemed natural and harmless, such as handshakes and hugs, has become undesirable and even dangerous. But experts in the field of epidemiology believe that no matter how hard we try, almost every one of us makes mistakes that increase the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 infection. What habits do you need to get rid of to reduce the risk of getting sick?

This habit, which is very harmful in itself, becomes an additional risk factor during an epidemic. The relationship between smoking and the risk of infection has not been studied well enough, but there is absolutely reliable information that smokers have a more acute form of the disease.

At the height of the epidemic in China, scientists analyzed the course of the disease in more than 1,000 patients and found that among those who had the disease in severe form, one in four smoked, and among "light" patients — only one in ten. Fans of "smoke" have a higher chance of being in intensive care.

Those who bite their nails touch the mucous membrane with their hands. It is quite obvious that this is one of the surest ways to introduce the insidious coronavirus into the body. At the same time, the chances are growing not only for those who indulge in this habit outside the home, but also for those who like to bite their nails at home.

Even if you make every effort to disinfect, COVID-19 infection can end up on the most problematic surfaces of your home — on door handles, gadgets, computer keyboards, clothes. Coronavirus is more likely to enter the body in those who pull their hands into their mouths.

The habit of rubbing your chin thoughtfully or propping your head with your hand can play a bad joke with you. The unconscious movements that we do several times every hour help the coronavirus to enter our body.

You can accidentally infect the mucous membranes, and in this case, infection is almost guaranteed. Therefore, it is worth setting a goal and, finally, getting rid of the habit without having to touch the face, which has recently turned into a harmful one.

WHO experts continue to insist that thorough hand washing with soap and disinfection with an alcohol-containing antiseptic is an obligatory part of preventive measures during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Despite the fact that the coronavirus is transmitted by airborne droplets, it easily settles on the surface and can live on them for up to 4 days. Touching a handrail in public transport, an elevator button or a door handle can cause infection on the skin of the hands, and from it on the mucous membranes. Therefore, it is now very important to wash your hands as often and thoroughly as possible, especially after visiting public places.

Many of us are used to ignoring the signs of a cold and, in the absence of a high temperature, continue to go to work as if nothing had happened. Today, such carelessness endangers not only your health and life — it affects all the people around you.

If you feel unwell, stay at home and try to narrow down your social circle as much as possible. Weakness, fever and dry cough are not necessarily signs of a dangerous disease, but an important reason to call a family doctor or a coronavirus hotline.

The human brain is designed in such a way that we react to negative information much more acutely than to positive information. Agree that there has been so much bad news lately that the Internet is simply drowning in them. The result of constant monitoring of news sites and social networks in such a situation can be chronic stress.

Scientists have long proven that the human body, being in a stressful state, has a reduced immunity and is more susceptible to attacks of all kinds of infections. Today is just such a situation when the body's resistance to diseases is very important, so try to protect yourself from network negativity.

A smartphone today is not only a source of bad news (see the previous paragraph), but also an immediate threat of infection. Microorganisms are happy to settle on the body of the gadget, among which there is a place for coronavirus.

A smartphone that has been on the street, and especially in transport or a store, even theoretically cannot remain clean if you have picked it up at least once. You can wash your hands thoroughly, but all your efforts will be in vain if you do not process your smartphone at the same time. Try to use mobile devices on the street as little as possible and make a useful habit of disinfecting them.

Shopping exposes you to the risk of infection, and there will be as many as two dangerous factors here. The first is a significant number of people near you, among whom there may well be a carrier of the infection. The second is the abundance of all kinds of objects that many people have touched.

Aimless shopping has turned into extreme entertainment today. The pleasure of shopping in no way justifies the risk to which you expose yourself and your loved ones. Try to come to the stores only for a specific purpose and spend as little time there as possible. The ideal option during quarantine is home delivery, which is offered by almost all retail outlets today.

Now, when many are on forced leave or work from home, the issue of the regime is gradually losing its relevance. We stay up late at the computer, watch our favorite TV shows at night and make up for lost working time when we should be resting.

It is an indisputable fact that people who do not get enough sleep are more susceptible to respiratory viral infections, and hence COVID-19. Moreover, patients who are accustomed to little sleep recover much more slowly and are more likely to get serious complications. Sleeping for 8 hours is a great way to strengthen your body in the fight against coronavirus.

As we have already said, coronavirus is transmitted by airborne droplets. This means that it is most likely to get infected from another person when communicating or just being around. Therefore, no matter how well you treat your friends, try to keep a distance of at least a meter when meeting.

Do not forget that the WHO warns that a coronavirus patient does not necessarily sneeze and cough — many people have the disease without symptoms. In addition, people who do not yet have obvious signs of the disease and do not know about health problems can spread the virus.