Coronavirus means a new way of daily living

The message from state officials is clear: Stay home, only leave for essentials and keep 6 feet away from others to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

But some Southern Californians are wondering about the practicalities. Is it safe to wait in line with others to enter a grocery store? Is it best to cross the street if a neighbor is also out for a walk?

Local public health officials said to use common sense while practicing social distancing.

“You cut the spread by putting people away from situations where they unconsciously end up sharing germs,” said Dr. Shruti K. Gohil, associate medical director of epidemiology and infection prevention at UC Irvine Medical Center. “I think we do need to stay rational and think about how to translate the new directives into our daily lives in a way that makes sense and allows us to live life while adhering to strict precautions. That is the hard part.”

Going out for necessities

Health experts have advised keeping hands and surfaces clean when going out for essentials such as groceries, gas or a prescription. When possible, pick up items in the same trip for seniors or an immunocompromised neighbor.

The California Department of Public Health has recommended that shoppers stay 6 feet apart and that stores limit customers as needed to reduce crowding and lines.

Dr. Emily Blodget, an infectious disease specialist at USC’s Keck School of Medicine, suggested shopping when stores are less busy to avoid long lines either outside or at checkout.

“If you’re standing around in line it defeats the purpose of having more space in the store,” Blodget said.

Gohil said to stick to a shopping list and buy enough for a week to prevent extra trips. She said to avoid anyone who is coughing or sneezing, don’t touch your face and apply hand sanitizer frequently, especially after touching common surfaces.

“If somebody coughs across the room and they’re visibly sick but they didn’t cough on you and they didn’t get within your 6-foot orbit, you’re not considered exposed,” Gohil said.

Even if a shopper unknowingly touches a surface where a sick person has deposited respiratory secretions, proper hand cleaning can halt transmission.

“If you do your hand hygiene you’ve stopped the material from getting into your mucus membranes,” Gohil said.

Brandon Brown, an epidemiologist at UC Riverside’s School of Medicine, said if consumers haven’t been able to clean their hands throughout the course of their errands, they should use a disinfecting wipe to clean items they touched such as phones, credit cards, car door handles and keys.

“Anything you can use to sanitize these items that we touch before we might be touching our face is definitely useful,” he said.

Blodget said rather than simply rinsing fruits and vegetables at home, which may have been handled by other shoppers, wash them with a gentle dish soap. Washing or wiping down reusable shopping bags is also a good idea.

When getting gas, Blodget suggested using a wipe to clean the keypad and pump handle. Use pharmacy drive-throughs to pick up prescriptions when possible.

Staying home

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order allows for visits to care for a friend or relative. As residents remain at home, they should wash their hands often and refrain from sharing utensils or drinks with any visitors, Gohil said.

When walking outside, Blodget said there’s no need to cross the street if you see someone coming. It’s fine to wave and say hello to a neighbor or even chat briefly while maintaining a distance.

“I think just walking around on the streets a little bit with your dog is probably OK,” she said. “It’s just going to be a quick enough period of time that you’re just walking and passing by.”

Brown said as more people shop online, it’s a good idea to wash your hands after opening a box. The same goes for after receiving a food delivery.

Protecting the most vulnerable

Despite interruptions in school and child care, now is not the time for grandparents to care for children. Doctors said to avoid visits with kids to ensure no one gets sick during these early days of social distance.

“We’re still learning about how long you’re actually infectious after you get sick,” Blodget said.

The California Dental Association has recommended that dental offices temporarily suspend non-urgent dental care. Routine medical visits should also be rescheduled.

Gohil said that hospitals have processes in place to screen and isolate potentially ill patients to avoid unnecessary exposures to others needing medical care, such as chemotherapy patients or women going into labor.

“If it’s something that’s essential for your survival, we have protections in place,” she said. “We have ways we keep our spaces in the hospital as clean as possible.”

As residents take precautions, Brown said he prefers the term “physical distancing” to remind people that it’s vital to remain connected through virtual communication such as video chat.

“Since we’re social beings, we need to see each other to talk and discuss,” Brown said. “We need to tackle feelings of isolation and depression that could come at this time when we’re forced to be at home to halt the pandemic.”

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