Guys, I don’t talk about my husband much on my blog, but he’s a surgeon. A weight loss surgeon who has done over 3000 weight loss surgeries over his career so far and is top in his field, if I might say so myself! He went to a nationwide top 5 medical school (Washington University) and used to teach MCAT prep for a part time job during Med School due to his near perfect score.
Yes, I’m bragging about him. But it’s so you will pay attention to this post. Aside from acting like a 13 year old when he’s at home with our teen boys, he’s one of the smartest people I know.
Recently, I did a sponsored post for a hair color brand (Zotos Hair who I recommend if you need gray coverage!) where I was at the grocery store with my mask on, contemplating whether to buy drug store hair color or not (See video). In my draft footage, I took my mask off to look at the box.
My husband saw that and said to me, “you can’t take your mask off at all when you’re out wearing it. And don’t touch it. That defeats the whole purpose!” When he said that, I realized that was common sense. But how did I absentmindedly do it? I thought since I had gloves on, I could touch my mask freely as long as it was just the outside of it. Nope. I was wrong.
Which led me to learning the proper way to stay sterile (germ free) when I am out in public. Especially at the store. Have you tried to stay sterile (germ-free) the proper way? It’s super hard!
Surgeon’s recommendations to stay germ-free during COVID-19
Dr. Oliak says:
- Make sure your mask is comfortable and fits well so you don’t need to mess with it while you’re out.
- Make sure it has a seal around your nose and mouth.
- If you are making a mask at home, use a tea towel or cotton blend. Scarves and 100% cotton won’t do you as much good to protect.
- Have disinfectant wipes or sanitizer in your car.
- Insert from Jen – When I go out to the store or an enclosed space with people, I wear a mask, glasses, and gloves. Yes, glasses. I believe we can get germs through your eyes.
- DO NOT TOUCH THE FRONT OF YOUR MASK. Do you know how difficult this is to do? Very. David (my husband) explained how he had to train himself when he first started doing surgery.
- When you get back in your car, remember, anything you touched (steering wheel, door handle, trunk lid handle) is now potentially contaminated. Wipe down. ps. This includes your personal items like your keys, wallet, purse…
- From Jen: I keep hand sanitizer in my car and use it on my rubber gloves before I take them off. I also have Clorox wipes to wipe down areas I touched.
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds as soon as you can.
This is ALL before you even touch the groceries again. That’s a whole other post!
Before you use your mask again, place the mask in a microwave safe bowl, sprinkle some water on it and microwave for 45 seconds.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. And if you’re looking for tips on no sew mask making, visit my post!
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