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The fourth wave of the coronavirus epidemic in Poland is taking an ever greater toll. The daily number of infections already exceeds two thousand. The number of flu cases is also increasing. We remind you what safety measures to take in the case of infectious diseases and how to decontaminate the apartment after such infections.
- Pathogens can settle on surfaces that are touched by a sick person. That is why the apartment should be decontaminated after an illness
- Disinfection of the immediate environment is crucial in epidemic emergency situations, including the risk of COVID-19 infection
- Disinfecting a sick person’s apartment is an activity that should be avoided
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
How long do pathogens live on home surfaces?
Some viruses and bacteria can survive outside the human body, including on various surfaces in the apartment. In the case of the COVID-19 coronavirus, it is suspected that it remains an active threat for a period ranging from several hours to several days. During this time, there is a risk that relatives or roommates living with the sick person may become infected with the pathogen by touching various surfaces and everyday objects. For this reason, proper hygiene during illness is important, as well as disinfecting the apartment after recovery.
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It is difficult to say for sure how long coronaviruses can survive in an apartment or other interiors. It is influenced by various factors, including the type of surface, temperature and air humidity.
Infectious diseases – basic rules of hygiene
People infected with infectious diseases should be extremely careful not to transfer infectious agent on the others. The basic ways to reduce the transmission of pathogens are:
- frequently washing hands with warm soapy water for 15-30 seconds or disinfecting them with alcohol-containing agents;
- covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing with a tissue or bent elbow, and then discarding the used tissue – if any droplets of secretions come into contact with the skin, wash the area immediately with soap and water;
- avoiding touching around the mouth, nose and eyes;
- frequent airing of rooms;
- in case of respiratory symptoms (e.g. coughing, sneezing) it is recommended to wear a protective mask; this form of protection should also be used by people taking care of patients with infectious diseases.
The above activities protect people in the patient’s environment against contracting coronavirus, flu or a cold.
- Check it out: Washing your hands can protect against viruses. How to do it effectively?
Disinfecting the apartment after illness
The fact that we have recovered does not mean that we have dealt with an infectious disease and related problems. Careful disinfection of the apartment is extremely important – especially when we want to protect our relatives from infection.
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After the disease, it is necessary to:
- thoroughly ventilate the apartment – in the event of poor air circulation, pathogenic agents float indoors, and also settle on various surfaces;
- disinfect surfaces or objects with which the patient has come into contact – especially in the bathroom (toilet, washbasin, bathtub, paddling pool), as well as light switches, door handles, keyboards, telephones;
- scald the dishes and cutlery in a dishwasher or boiling water;
- wash towels and bedding at high temperature, which will kill microorganisms (approx. 60 degrees C); bedding and mattresses can also be ventilated, and if this is not possible, they can be condensed substances with a disinfecting effect, e.g., tea tree oil;
- take out the rubbish, especially the paper towels and handkerchiefs used by the sick person (it is best to get rid of them from the apartment on a regular basis);
- replace the accessories used by the patient for personal hygiene, including sponges and a toothbrush;
- clean the apartment thoroughly (wash the floors, wash carpets, wipe other surfaces with cleaning agents), and then get rid of the steam mops, cloths and brushes used for this purpose, or at least disinfect them.
To disinfect the apartment, use traditional cleaning agents and alcohol-based agents.
Do you want to test your COVID-19 immunity after vaccination? Have you been infected and want to check your antibody levels? See the COVID-19 immunity test package, which you will perform at Diagnostics network points.
Also read:
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