If you’re anything like me, the one thing you miss the most during the coronavirus pandemic is being able to go shopping without worrying about contracting a life-threatening illness. I used to go shopping almost every other weekend as a form of stress relief (not exactly great for my bank account, I know), but now that malls and public venues are breeding grounds for the coronavirus, it’s been a little hard to haul myself away on a therapeutic shopping trip.
But after a while, I decided that I couldn’t put my life on hold forever because of the pandemic. There seemed to be no signs of a vaccine coming out any time soon, so I resolved to finally, cautiously, go to the local mall. And guess what— it wasn’t so bad! Here’s a list of the precautions that I took before going to the mall and coming out unscathed:
- Wear a Mask and Gloves
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This one may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people I saw not bothering to wear their masks properly at the mall. Your mask is supposed to completely cover your nose and your mouth— only then does it count as actually wearing one. The gloves are an extra precaution because shopping does mean touching items that dozens of others have touched before. I’d recommend wearing gloves especially if you may have an compromised immune system!
- Carry Hand Sanitizer
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Sanitize before and after you enter a store! It’s the best way to make sure you’re not spreading germs or catching somebody else’s germs. Sanitizing your hands before eating something at the mall is also super necessary, even if the people making/serving you the food wear gloves. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
- Stay Away from People Not Wearing Masks
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Although you may do your part as a responsible person by wearing a mask and following COVID-19 safety protocols, you can’t force everyone around you to do the same. So, if you see someone not following safety rules by not wearing a mask or wandering a bit too close to you, immediately back up a couple of steps and make sure there’s always 6 feet of distance between you and them.
- Sanitize Your Haul
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Once you’re done shopping, make sure to sanitize everything you bought. There are lots of spray-based sanitizers available, so a few sprays on your bags ought to do the trick. If you want to be super safe, I’d suggest quarantining your haul for about three days in a room, just to kill off any unwanted viruses on the surface of your bags!
All these extra precautions may seem too cumbersome to follow, but if you’re patient enough to follow COVID-19 protocols, you can go wherever you want, whenever you want without fear. So, what are you waiting for?
Grab your mask and your sanitizer and get ready to shop till you drop!
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