I’m so glad there is more research & information now so I’m just editing the information that no longer applies. I’ll keep the post for posterity a little longer. The info below from the Virginia Department of Health is enough to convince me to pester my family and housemates to wash their faces and hands as soon as they get back from essential outings and to use separate hand towels. As a precaution, I spray and wipe down bathrooms if someone is actively sneezing or coughing of course. All clothes get washed after one wearing and I’ll throw the blankets and pillows in the dryer every couple of days. Clotheslines are awesome!

If your weather is nice enough, eat outside then wipe down the chairs and tables out there before sitting them in the sunshine. Better yet sit on a patio or grass before the bugs get too hungry! Do anything else you can think of to reduce a viral load that might put you at risk for a more serious illness. Our immune systems are amazing but do things to keep it from working too hard during allergy season.

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From the Virginia Department of Health

To get COVID-19 you need to have had close contact with a person ill with COVID-19. Close contact includes:

• Living in the same household as a sick person with COVID-19,
• Caring for a sick person with COVID-19,
• Being within 6 feet (or 2 meters) of a sick person with COVID-19 for about 15 minutes, or
• Being in direct contact with secretions from a sick person with COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed or sneezed on, kissing, sharing utensils, etc.).
• new variants seem to be more infectious but sometimes lless severe symptoms develop depending on personal variations in immune response.

If you live in the same household as someone sick with COVID-19,

1) the person who is sick must stay home until their fever has been gone for 3 full days without using any fever-reducing medicine, and wear a mask in shared spaces.
2) the other symptoms have improved,
and
3) at least (7?) days have passed since the first symptoms appeared. After this time, the person can stop home isolation and is no longer considered infectious. (This seems to vary depending on the strain so check your local Health Department for updates.)

You, as the household contact,
1) should you use a mask, avoiding contact as much as possible and test after a suspected contact  especially if any symptoms occur even if it is probably allergies. Stay home while the person is sick,
2) while the person is recovering. when practical.
and
3) for 14 days after their home isolation ended.

View the VDH When to End Home Isolation and Quarantine Infographic (3/27/20) for more.

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Check out future blog posts via my website

https://wholebody-wellbeing.com

Above all stay positive by doing normal preventative self-care. ALWAYS important

• Stay hydrated
• eat fresh foods with lots of colors; leafy greens, peppers, and berries yum yum!
• Exercise enough to get your heart pumping
• take some deep breaths for a few minutes (dance, walk stairs or do jumping jacks- your pick)
• touch base with nature every single day.

Be well, my fellow travelers!