7 Worst Health Habits to Have During Your City's Reopening
While the world is currently still living through the coronavirus pandemic, there are slowly but surely signs of some life aspects regaining a sense of normalcy. And in certain cities across the United States, that means places are starting to reopen. From parks to stores to even restaurants, cities are coming out of lockdown life. But there are things you might be doing that will not only end up harming yourself, but others you encounter, too.
Post quarantine, you're going to want to make sure you're not practicing any of these unhealthy habits. Here are the worst things you can do as your city reopens. To make sure you're fully up to date on the changes happening each and every day, check out our latest coronavirus coverage.
You don't wash your hands.
If there is anything living through a global pandemic has taught everyone, it's the power of hand-washing. But just because your city is beginning to reopen, that doesn't mean you should abandon washing your hands and using hand sanitizer frequently. Germs can still spread from your hands to your face to the surfaces you touch and yes, that includes COVID-19. So don't start slacking now!
You're not practicing social distancing.
If more places are starting to open again, that means more people are going to be heading outside. You still want to practice social distancing though, so if you're waiting in line to pay in a store or you're sitting on a park bench, be sure to leave the proper amount of space between yourself and the other customers. Keeping six feet away is still something to keep in mind!
You touch others.
Whether you're meeting someone for the first time, or you're reuniting with friends and family you haven't seen in a while, your natural instinct is to want to reach out and shake their hand or even give them a hug. Everyone has been deprived of typical social interactions and that includes touch! But again, you still want to hold off as coronavirus isn't gone yet.
STAY INFORMED: Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest coronavirus foods news delivered straight to your inbox.
You cough and sneeze into your hand.
It's rather obvious this pandemic has really hammered into everyone the importance of good hygiene and how to cough and sneeze the right way. So no, don't cough or sneeze into your hand! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends coughing or sneezing into a tissue you then immediately throw away but if you don't have one on hand, you should cough or sneeze into your elbow.
You start to drink more.
You might feel the need to celebrate the small victories lately, and that includes the fact that your city is slightly reopened again. You've missed being able to go out and have a drink with friends, we get it. Maybe you've been waiting to drink and while a glass of wine or one beer is totally fine, you don't want to overdo it and drink excessively. As we learned in a previous article, if you consume a lot of alcohol, it can cause damage that ultimately makes you more susceptible COVID-19, and you don't want to do anything that puts you more at risk of catching and spreading the illness as the country isn't out of the woods just yet.
You're not getting enough sleep.
As your city is reopening, you suddenly might find yourself with more things to do. Your days are starting to fill up again and you might not be prioritizing getting a full night's of sleep because, well, you've been living that quarantine life for quite some time now and you're ready to get back into the world. The enthusiasm is appreciated, but you want to still make smart choices, and getting a full, good night's sleep is still crucial for your overall health and wellbeing. Sleep deprivation can lead to your immune system being comprised, which makes you more susceptible to getting sick. And that's not what you want as your city is reopening, right?
You assume everything is back to how it once was.
As much as everyone would like to return to normal life, it's going to take time to get there. Yes, some cities are slowly reopening, but again, COVID-19 is still something the nation—and the world—is still dealing with. Have as much patience as you can and don't expect to walk outside and back into a world where nothing has happened because that's not the case. Refrain from spending time anywhere that is overcrowded. And if you're using public transportation again, keep your distance as best as you can, and keep your hands clean. It's not a time to be lax just yet!
