As the NBA tipped off yesterday for its painstakingly planned restart, maybe we should also reflect and look at our own restart, challenge ourselves, learn new things, new talents, new normal and continue living this life as every seconds count. There’s a high risk involved though because as what the famous Jack Ma said:“For people in business, 2020 is really just a year for staying alive. Don’t even talk about your dreams or plan. Just make sure you stay alive. If you can stay alive, then you would have made a profit already.” For me, unless you are living comfortably, you can always have that mindset. But not everyone are like Jack Ma. Most of us are living one day, one week or one month at a time.
And you need to do something. It is this time that you can plan out how to fulfill your dreams and survive this pandemic.
And the NBA restart is just giving us this motivation to do so. But the NBA has the power to do it because of its sponsorships and big budget. So let’s keep it simple. Use common sense. As long as we follow the health and safety protocols of the government, it can be done.
I have summarized some important tips you can do to survive this pandemic but before going back to work, we must learn first to implement these safety measures at home.
1.Get the necessary equipment such as body Thermometer or non-contact thermometer and pulse oximeter.
Body temperature and oxygen saturation level in your blood should be recorded daily. Normal range for oxygen level is 95-100 and if its below 95 percent associated with mild fever and shortness of breath, you might want to check with your Doctor.
2. Strengthen your immune system. Have a good diet, eat natural food, minimize alcohol intake, and take eights hours of sleep. Remain calm, think strong and be stronger. Exercise, take some supplements such as vitamins C, D and Zinc.
3. Reduction of viral load when one gets infected. It may enter through your mouth, nose or eyes. So the face mask, face shield, goggles or glasses come in handy. To dilute the viral, you can simply gargle with salt water.
You can add a few drops of betadine mouthwash concentrate. It is also good to rinse your nose with a saline nasal spray. Another way of diluting the viral load is steam inhalation or tuob. It may help the reduction of viral load and improve your sense of smell and make you breath better. Just simply put a small amount of vicks and oregano leaves on the bowl, pour boiling water over it. You need to cover yourself with towel and preferably do this outside. Avoid steam or aerosol staying inside your home.
Breathing exercises:Our lungs look like a big sponge. It is located at the front part and the airways are located at the back. Do some breathing exercise like exhaling 3 to 4 seconds, hold then inhale. When you exhale, you are emptying your lungs. I also suggest to exhale with pressure, either blowing using a ballon or blowing bubbles using straw like what we use to play around when we were young. You may also blow it against your hands by curling your hands and blowing it like a trumpet. It will be good enough to provide resistance. But if you get dizzy doing these recommendations, you can always pretend blowing out with pressure. I have actually tested this and it improved my oxygen level by 2 percent. Another advice from doctors to help you breath better is lying down prone position on your front as your lungs will expand compared to sleeping on your back. But again, all of these are just home remedies of managing COVID-19. If you have mild fever, cough, runny nose, loss of smell and taste, then call your doctor immediately.
Safety protocols on work place:Work place has been the biggest concern for transmission of COVID-19. Some offices have implemented a work from home policy on percentage of the work force to reduce the number of office staff in the office especially in banks. Everyone needs to eat. Gone are the days when everyone gather in one table and starts to babble and chit chat while eating lunch or snacks. Minimum contact should be observed.
Prolonged face-face interaction between workers and clients should be discouraged. Video conferencing should be utilized for lengthy discussions. Office table should be arranged so that the aisle, passage way and meet up will be declogged. Providing plastic divider is also good because it lessens the circulation between each workers. A good air flow is necessary, like providing an exhaust fan. It lessens the viral load inside an enclosed airconditioned office. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, but there should be designated stairs for going up and down. Add all these up to the proper wearing of face mask, maintain social distancing (at least 6ft), hand washing or sanitizing your hands, sanitizing of door knobs, hand rails and table etc..
Today, August 1, also marks the start of operation of shops or businesses that are high-risk for Covid-19 transmission. Tourism is also starting around the province. But again, I can help reiterate that all safety protocols must be strictly implemented. The guidelines may be thorough and detailed but it is useless if there’s no strict implementation. Don’t be too excited. Remember that we don’t have the vaccine for Covid-19 yet. The concerned agencies of the government must based their decision on the medical standpoint instead of purely business. They must put that as priority in checking all business establishments and offices with regard to its implementation and at the same time business owners should be responsible if they decide to open up. Lastly, Stay Safe, Stay Strong, and Stay Healthy.