Social distancing guide: Five effective ways to self-quarantine
From how to do your shopping while in the comfort of your home to working from home and educating your children, here is a guide on how to effectively self-quarantine.
Several calls have been made for people to stay at home in order to minimise the spread of the coronavirus.
One of the ways that the coronavirus can easily spread is through physical contact with a person who is infected.
READ: Coronavirus: How to protect yourself
On Sunday, 15 March, President Cyril Ramaphosa encouraged social distancing.
Although as of 15 March there were only 61 confirmed cases of people infected with the virus in the country, the President warned that the number will increase.
Ramaphosa announced that schools will be closed from 18 March until after the Easter holidays. He also banned gatherings of more than 100 people and using common transport.
This announcement affects businesses, schools, and churches.
Ramaphosa is not the only one who has called for people to avoid meeting. Artists such as Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga and, Pink have also encouraged their fans to stay indoors.
READ: Miley Cyrus self-quarantines following coronavirus outbreak
The website sacoronavirus.co.za has released self-quarantine steps and they are as follows:
- Do not go to work, school, or public areas. Avoid using public transportation or taxis.
- Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home. If you can, use a separate bathroom.
- Facemasks should be used to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. Cough or sneeze into the fold of your elbow. Alternatively, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Clean your hands often. With soap and water for at least 20 seconds or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60-95% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean surfaces like counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, phones, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables every day.
Let us look at more tips to ensure your life goes on even when stuck at home.
Do online shopping
The mall is one of the places where thousands of people meet. Unless you wear masks, gloves and take the necessary precautions, you might be exposing yourself to danger by going shopping at the mall.
The good news is that you can shop from home.
Whether you are shopping for clothes or buying groceries, many stores offer the option of shopping online and having the food delivered to your doorstep.
You can even do your banking online. Many banks have apps that allow people to do transactions that they would need to go to the bank for.
Keep your family entertained at home
With schools closing for weeks, parents are worried about how they are going to keep their kids entertained, especially indoors.
You can create your own fun at home by watching movies, playing TV and board games, and decorating their rooms.
READ: Jane’s top 3 things to keep kids entertained in KZN this festive season
This could be the perfect time to start your own garden with the help of your kids.
Work from home
Over the years, there has been an increase in employees working from home.
A 2017 study by Dimension Data found that 42% of organisations in South Africa have employees working from home full-time, with 67% saying they will have employees working from home full-time within the next two years.
READ: How to keep your workplace coronavirus-free
Working from home requires having the right tools, and discipline. Although you are not at the office, your employers can judge if you are working by your productivity. So, it is essential that you produce the work that you are paid for.
There are many benefits of working from home both for you and your employer. You can put in more hours of work because you don’t have to deal with office distractions and being late for work because of traffic.
To start, just create a workspace for yourself and let your family know that although you are not at the office, you are still working, and therefore won’t be available.
For more on how to effectively work from home, read the following: Why you should consider working from home - the benefits and Beware! Work from home scams are doing the round.
Stream church services
Following the ban on mass gathering by the President, many people took to social media to complain about how this will affect their church services.
Several churches have already urged their members to stream services in order to minimise meeting and spreading the virus.
You can also create a WhatsApp group or use social media for your services.
Educate your children from home
Learning doesn’t have to be limited to being at school. Just because your children are not attending classes at school, it doesn’t mean they cannot carry on studying while at home.
Set aside a time for them to study and learn more. As long as kids have their textbooks, they can still study.
Also, ask for their teacher’s cell phone numbers, email address etc. where your children can contact them to ask questions pertaining to school work.
There are also many great educational apps and programs that your children can use to study.