“Don’t Panic, Just Be Alert & Prepared” – Dr. Oz Explains
Dr. Oz is reminding all of us to do our part to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but this morning when he joined Chris & Tiffany on Chris & The Crew he emphasized that we shouldn't be panicked.
"We don't want you panicked. We want you alert and prepared," he said.
You can listen to the full interview here, of course. And below we have some highlights noted for you to share with your friends:
Keeping Our Clothing Safe
We asked about our clothes. Are they helping to spread the coronavirus?
"We don't think it (the virus) lasts very long on fabrics. Somewhere between 4 hours and 24 hours," he said. So when you do have to go out, he advised taking your clothes off when you get home. You don't have to launder them every time, he said.
But for anything in our houses, he reminds us that "soap is toxic to the virus." So this means your dishwasher, laundry machine, hand soap, etc. will all help to keep everyday objects in your home safe. Don't forget to clean that remote control too.
Ordering Food In... Is it Safe?
What about ordering takeout from so many of our local restaurants? Dr. Oz says, go ahead, but you'll want to take a few precautions.
"The food itself is safe," when you're ordering take out right now. He suggests transferring the food to different containers because you don't know who has touched the packaging. But he cautions us about transferring money.
"The bigger risk is money Don't forget that the virus lives on cash. Try to contract digitally, if you can."
Luckily, many local businesses, of course, are accepting digital payments.
What About Travel... Is It Safe?
We had a few questions raised about travel right. There are cheap flights all over the place. So is it OK to jump on those?
"I personally would not travel anywhere, unless I had to (right now)," Dr. Oz said. He explained in the interview above how that has worked to help the spread in other parts of the world (like China).
He explains how travelers from New York will be increasingly forced to quarantine when they arrive in other parts of the country and world.
Do We Need to Wear Medical Masks Out in Public?
Lastly, we asked about those very critical medical masks. Do we need to be wearing them outside right now?
"Unless you have a severe medical problem" you don't need to wear a mask out in public right now," Dr. Oz says, "Save them for medical professionals."
Plus, he notes if you have a severe medical condition that you shouldn't be out of your house anyway. "Stay low for a couple of weeks."
Dr. Oz will join us again next Thursday. Have a question? Open the PST app & click the chat button.
Click here for more resources from Dr. Oz, including household cleaning tips, what you should do if you're feeling ill, and more.
We're all in this together.
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