The pandemic surely kept every plan of traveling to the world’s farthest corners of the world at bay. It also forced people to stay at home. At first, people were complaining non-stop about the fact that they needed to slow down and remain within the four corners of their homes. Fortunately, as time passed by, they realized that there is more to staying at home than feeling restricted. Now, people appreciate the time they get to spend with their kids and family. They also get to appreciate the fact that they get to start gardening, carpentry, home-based careers, and all sorts of DIY projects.
Yes, these activities may have started out of boredom, but they surely influenced the way people relate to and appreciate their homes and family members now. Unfortunately, despite the positive effects of the quarantine and lockdowns, we cannot deny that the danger is pretty much there, lurking, finding an opportunity to attack us when we momentarily let our guards down. On top of that, because of massive lay-offs and people are finding it hard to earn a living, the instances of people robbing houses have significantly increased.
Now, people have to tackle both problems — the virus and the robbers. So, the question now is how can you keep your home safe and secured during the pandemic? In this article, we’ll share smart tips to help you do this. Let’s start with the facade of your property as we move forward to the interior.
Fortify your home
As we talked about earlier, the incidences of robberies have increased at the height of the pandemic because of the unprecedented economic downturn. At first, it was reported that the crime rate decreased in areas with stricter lockdowns. However, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) explained that the decrease was a result of the decrease in its reporting, and not on the actual commission of the felony. The UNODC also argued that as economies crash, it was expected that crimes involving robbery and theft will increase. This couldn’t be any truer as we hear reports of subdivisions being lucrative targets for these robbers. Don’t wait for these to happen before you act. Secure your property with a sturdy fence. Fences may not directly fortify you and your home from the deadly virus, but they can keep you safe from people who are taking advantage of the pandemic to loot or to steal other’s properties. Aside from being a standing fence, your gate serves as a tangible barrier between your home and the rest of the world. It sets you and your family apart from the people, thus ensuring that you limit your interaction with those you’re familiar with. Aside from that, it can also keep the robbers at bay. You can also add features like CCTV, alarm system, sensor light, and electronic locks.Stay at home
The ratio behind the ‘stay at home’ campaign of the government is to segregate and keep people within their family bubble to lessen the risk of transmission. If you can evade going out and interacting with people who do not share the same household as you, go for it. As they would put it, ‘it’s always better to err on the side of caution.’ Besides, you can never be overly paranoid if you’re dealing with an unseen enemy that can kill some, and can only teach a hard lesson to others. If you have house helpers, it’s better to let them stay with you while the pandemic is ongoing. There are plenty of stories wherein a family who rarely goes out of their house gets infected with COVID-19 simply because their house helpers, guards, gardeners, or other household members leave at the end of the day and only come back for work the next morning. No matter how cautious you are, you can never trace the whereabouts of people you cannot check and see 24/7. For some, it’s paranoia, but at the end of the day, it’s your and your family’s lives that are at risk. I don’t think you would freely throw caution in the wind and regret later.Never mix households
We all heard tragic stories of how family members who live in different households pass the virus around simply because they gathered at a birthday party, baptismal, or ‘fiesta.’ Yes, it’s hard to resist the urge to meet and greet relatives you haven’t seen in a while because of the lockdown. It’s also tempting to attend the birthday party of your grandmother because she’s already 90 years old. But you see, if you give in now, you will surely regret the long months that you sacrificed just to keep everyone safe. There is a right time to celebrate and feast with our loved ones. But that time is definitely not now. If it’s your 90-year old grandmother’s birthday, all the more you need to stop the party from happening so that everyone could still celebrate her 91st birthday next year. Remember, since the strength of our immune system differs, we could never be sure if we could survive the virus. You may be asymptomatic, and your aunt may only suffer from mild symptoms, but what about your asthmatic nephew, 90-year old grandma, and other immunocompromised family members? You may survive it, but they might not be as lucky as you. So, the next time you think about holding parties and mixing households, think again. You don’t want to see any of your loved ones going home in an urn.Sanitize everything that comes into your household
Sanitizing everything you receive from the outside is not a new idea. In fact, it has been repeated over and over again that people have a hard time forgetting it. Unfortunately, while people know its importance, they are often defeated by complacency. Maybe because we have been safe for over a year and we might have observed every health protocol strictly that we feel it won’t hurt to let our guards down. You see, the enemy will attack when we’re not looking. They will crush us when we’re vulnerable. Remember this — it’s still not safe to relax our health measures. So, be as diligent as you were when the pandemic started. Buy your groceries online if you can. Set up or maintain a sanitation area near your gate and leave boxes where riders can drop off your groceries without making contact with any of your household members. Let the grocery stay still in the sanitation area for a while before collecting them for individual and thorough sanitation. Sanitize your groceries near the drop-off point so that you won’t have to carry them inside the house unsanitized. You can use dishwashing liquid or water and baking soda mixture to sanitize your groceries. Make sure to clean those with plastic wrappers with your chosen sanitizer for 20 seconds. Soak fruits for 20 seconds in your water and baking soda mixture. Once done, rinse them with running water thoroughly and allow them to dry. Remember, never let the packaging enter your house as the virus can stay on its surface for a couple of hours or days. It’s best to dry them under the heat of the sun, or properly dispose of them.Make alcohol and masks available for everyone
Teach everyone at home how to wash their hands correctly and thoroughly, especially to your kids. It may be clear to you, but it may be incoherent to them. So, take time to explain the reason behind these acts. Explain to them why they need to clean their hands for twenty seconds. You also need to explain why they need to sanitize their hands when they receive packages, or why they need to wear masks when there are other people around. When they understand the reason behind it, you won’t need to constantly remind them to observe safety.Limit food deliveries
Although there is very minimal literature and research to prove that COVID-19 can be transmitted through food, it’s a fact that the virus can linger on packaging materials like styrofoam, paper, cardboard, and plastic. When you order food and have the same delivered to your home, they come in these packaging materials. So, you are still exposing your family to the risk of contracting the virus. If you can’t avoid having food delivered, make sure to remove them from the bag or cellophane that contains them. After which, dispose of the container properly, sanitize your hands, and transfer the food to a plate. You can also transfer them in microwavable containers and have them microwaved on mid-heat for at least three minutes.Takeaway
When you take your family’s safety and security seriously, some people may tell you that you’re being overboard or paranoid. But you see, this is not the time to listen to naysayers and people who take the virus lightly. It’s your family. It’s your home. Don’t let anyone make you think that you’re doing too much or doing it the wrong way. For as long as it keeps your family safe, it’s good. At the end of the day, it’s your house, your rules.Like What you've read?
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