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Hi - I am a virologist who lived through the first peak in NYC and AZ, had to travel 3 times this year, and through all that - have never gotten #COVID19.
I like to think I’m the Michael Weston of #COVID, and here’s a thread to keep you and loved ones alive /1
I like to think I’m the Michael Weston of #COVID, and here’s a thread to keep you and loved ones alive /1
You’re going to be tempted to get together for Christmas and New Years, and after this Thanksgiving debacle - I want people to stay alive - so here’s how. /2
FLIGHTS - If you can avoid public transportation - do that. If you have to fly follow these 3 rules:
1) Your mask should be essentially be glued to your face. Only take it off for eating and drinking
2) Only eat and drink if you have to
3) Sanitize before touching your face
/3
1) Your mask should be essentially be glued to your face. Only take it off for eating and drinking
2) Only eat and drink if you have to
3) Sanitize before touching your face
/3
A lot of people are afraid of flying now, but the air filtration and mandate for masks does a really great job of limiting exposure. Unless you’re sitting next to an anti-masker (which you can tattle on to get staff to make them wear a mask), you’re *probably* in the clear /4
DRIVING - Just because you’re safe in your car “pod” doesn’t mean you’re not in danger. Cars need gas and gas stations are rife with opportunity to get infected. Be it the family who coughs on you as you’re picking up Funyuns or an infectious trucker who used the squeegee /5
Again - wear a mask and sanitize your hands after touching anything at the gas station or rest area. /6
PUBLIC BATHROOMS - Everybody talks about washing your hands for 20 seconds, but few people mention DRYING YOUR HANDS. Wet hands are like a slip n’ slide for virus to spread from surfaces to your body. /7
If there are air dryers, dry your hands completely before exiting. If you have to touch the handle to leave - be sure you sanitize immediately after touching the door.
If you have automatic paper towel dispenser - grab some to dry your hands and one extra for the door. /8
If you have automatic paper towel dispenser - grab some to dry your hands and one extra for the door. /8
If there’s just a stack of paper towels - grab what you need to dry your hands, one for the door, and sanitize - because other wet hands have touched that same stack. /9
GATHERINGS - Because that’s what you’re doing. Friends and families are great, but they’re also liabilities. Uncle Norm may be a jerk, but his life is now your responsibility. /10
If you’re not going to see Uncle Norm after the holidays - treat him like a stranger in NYC.* Better to piss him off now, than to be the reason he’s dying alone in an ICU.
*Avoid them like they ACTUALLY have the plague. /11
*Avoid them like they ACTUALLY have the plague. /11
FOOD - If you don’t think there’s any precautions around shared food - eat before the event.
Though poorly enforced, restaurants are required to follow measures to avoid spread of disease. Aunt Marge is not. /12
Though poorly enforced, restaurants are required to follow measures to avoid spread of disease. Aunt Marge is not. /12
While Aunt Marge’s finger licking fried chicken is delicious - licking fingers is completely unsanitary in food preparation.
Skip the bird and stick with things that are safer. /13
Skip the bird and stick with things that are safer. /13
DIPS - Look tempting, but double dipping this year goes from unsanitary behavior to lethal.
Unless you want a mouthful of COVID - stick to the apps that don’t come in a cesspool of #coronavirus
Unless you want a mouthful of COVID - stick to the apps that don’t come in a cesspool of #coronavirus
BOOZE - Just like it’s bad to drink and drive, it’s bad to drink in a pandemic. Alcohol leads to poor decision making, making you make riskier decisions and potentially spread when you don’t have to.
Maybe skip the egg nog and go with a seltzer. /14
Maybe skip the egg nog and go with a seltzer. /14
