We have to become more careful when leaving the house and communicating with others, even when using the elevator, which does not take us a day to be more than a few seconds, and despite the short period that we spend in this place it is fertile ground for germs, and here are some preventive measures that you must Take to avoid catching an infection when using an elevator.
In her report, published by the American ReadersDigest magazine, writer Tina Donvetto said that, according to a recent study published in 2020, researchers believe that the risk of transmission of coronavirus infection in the elevator depends largely on how long a person spends in this place and interacts with whom In it, in other words riding an elevator for 30 to 60 seconds with an infected person may be less dangerous than working 8 hours in the same office with an injured person.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, coronavirus infection is transmitted by droplets from a person coughing or sneezing, or by touching contaminated surfaces like elevator buttons and then touching your face.
A study published in April 2020 in the journal Nature indicated that aerosols can float in the air in small, poorly ventilated areas, but it is not yet clear what this means for the actual transmission of the virus.
According to the study conducted in two hospitals in Wuhan, the rate of transmission was very low in public places, isolation rooms and ventilated areas, while it was high in bathrooms used by patients, however the possibility of airborne transmission depends on several factors, including the number of infected cases surrounding the person .
Leave the elevator if you don't feel safe
And the author quoted Professor Susan Willard, a specialist in the field of global health, that "trying to keep a distance between people in the elevator is almost impossible."
In fact, you can follow all the precautions set out in your building, but what if others don't? In this case, if you feel uncomfortable, get off the elevator.
For example, if another person tries to compete with the elevator, do not compete with him, in order to avoid dealing directly with him. If you reach the elevator and find it full, do not go up and wait for the next one to come. According to Dr. Wheatley Williams, you should avoid riding crowded lifts.
Wear a face mask
The writer indicated that the best way to protect yourself in the elevator is to wear a face mask, and a review of the research published in The Lancet in 2020 found that "face masks are effective in protecting people from infection, especially if they are of type" 95 "(N95), disposable surgical masks, or reusable cotton masks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends using face masks in public places, especially when it is difficult to maintain social spacing measures as in elevators.
Do not touch the elevator buttons
Willard advised to wear "gloves if you have to touch anything, and for elevator buttons you can use your elbow (elbow)" and then change your clothes and wash them when you return home.
It is noteworthy that the single-use gloves are only effective if you refrain from touching your face when wearing them, and if you remove them directly properly after that without contaminating yourself.
For these reasons, the CDC does not recommend the general public to wear gloves, and you can also use a handkerchief to press buttons and then get rid of them immediately.
But the best way to protect yourself, says Willard, is simply to "use hand sanitizer and wash them as much as possible, and after getting off the elevator you should not touch your face and wash your hands as soon as you arrive at your workplace."
Don `t speak
According to the author, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America in June 2020 showed that speaking out loud may actually lead to a further spread of the virus, so some companies and buildings prohibit speaking in elevators, and we must adapt to new etiquette, And don't worry about feeling rude to avoid talking to your colleagues.
Go up the stairs if you can
Willard noted that "the best option at the moment is to avoid elevators and use stairs instead, and that would be a great way to include exercise in your daily routine."
But climbing the stairs carries risks, as the author indicated that health authorities advise that the stairs be one-way in order to avoid collision with others coming in the opposite direction, but beware of what you touch and use your elbow to open the doors if you can.