What you can do to protect yourself and others from Covid-19

What can I do to protect myself and others?

We’re keeping up to date with all the latest advice from the government, NHS England and Public Health England.

There seems to be so much out there about what you need to do to protect yourself and others from Covid-19, it might seem hard trying to sift through it all. That’s why we’ve put together this information, to make life a bit easier.

Washing your hands

Wash your hands on entering your house and clean your hands frequently each day by washing with soap and water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitiser. This will help protect you and other people in your home. This step is one of the most effective ways of reducing the risk of passing infection to others.

As well as regularly washing their hands, everyone in your household should avoid touching their faces. 

Laundry and towels

Make sure you all use separate towels from the other people in your house, both for drying yourself after bathing or showering and for hand-hygiene purposes.

Cleaning 

Cleaning of all surfaces needs to be done twice a day. When cleaning you should use your usual household products, i.e. detergents and bleach, as these will be very effective at getting rid of the virus on surfaces.

Clean frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, handrails, remote controls and tabletops, this is particularly important if you have an older or vulnerable person in the house. Wipe down all kitchen surfaces before and after all meals.

If you do share a toilet and bathroom it is important that you clean them every time you use them (for example, wiping surfaces you have encountered). 

Mealtimes and washing the dishes

Use a dishwasher to clean and dry crockery and cutlery. If this is not possible, wash them using your usual washing up liquid and warm water and dry them thoroughly. Try using your own utensils for all meals and drinks, remember to use a separate tea towel for drying these.

Shared spaces 

Keep any shared spaces well ventilated.

Laundry

To minimise the possibility of dispersing virus through the air, do not shake dirty laundry. Wash items as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. All dirty laundry can still be washed in the same load.

Waste 

Personal waste (such as used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags. These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in your usual external household waste bin. Other household waste can be disposed of as normal.

We’re continuing to support many of our members and their families in their own homes, so we thought we’d let you know about the extra precautions that we’re taking too.

As well as doing all of the things above, we’re removing all our jewellery and watches before we arrive at someone’s home, so that we can wash our hands effectively. We’re also wearing a complete change of clothes for every shift. 

And what’s the best way to wash your hands? See the diagram below.