How we successfully prevented COVID-19 from spreading within the Household when one of us got positive.
Our real-life encounter on how we prevented COVID-19 from spreading within our home after one of us came out positive on her RT-PCR swab test.
We are a household of 2 seniors, 2 adults (3 of which have comorbidity), a toddler, and a stay-out babysitter, and a ton of cautiousness, and yet this Corona Virus finally broke into our “safe” haven.
Indeed, it only took one slight negligence and leniency for the virus to get in. Despite all the overdoing we have done since the pandemic started, after one of us forgot to wear her mask and talked to someone who knocked on our door one morning, COVID-19 was in the building.
HOW WE PREVENTED THE SPREAD
We had one sole, simple, straightforward protocol: Wear a Mask as soon as symptoms are felt and isolate.
We neither took a swab test nor telemed yet, but as soon as colds and cough happened, the one that got infected started wearing a mask and eating in isolation. Since we are yet to hear from the doctor as we queue on the telemed schedule, the toddler was no longer allowed to go near her.
Telemed advised further observation. The fever happened days later, and the swab be scheduled. It was Day 4. And on Day 5 the results came out positive.
On the same morning, we came packing to isolate into another room as asymptomatic. We quarantined as a family. We chose the office room so we could still work if we have to and had toys for our little boy and all the other essentials.
Our bedroom became the isolation room of the caregiver for the covid positive and we all came with a system, guidelines, and planned carefully.
…and when in doubt, disinfect again.
WHAT A DAY LOOKS LIKE
For the COVID-19 positive member, her tasks were scheduled as she goes through medication with meals planned mindfully. Cleaning was done sparingly and everything was rinsed in hot water. May it be dishes, laundry, or things that needed to be taken out, all rinsed or soaked in hot water.
For as, the asymptomatic, we postponed the babysitter from coming. We endured the schedule and we indulged in “screen time” mindfully. Due to the isolation, we had to do laundry by hand, wash our dishes in our bathroom, strategically schedule meal preparations so we would only do it after 3–5meals at the shared space kitchen.
Every time we are out of our isolation room, we double the mask we wear using two layers of the disposable one. As much as we would want to observe earth-friendly measures, we could not risk our toddler’s safety as the infection is no longer just closer to home but is already here.
And above all rules, disinfect every single time. Disinfect before going into shared spaces such as the kitchen, disinfect before going into our room if we come from the shared space… and when in doubt, disinfect again.
OUR COVID-19 SWAB TEST RESULTS
We all eventually took our swab tests via drive-thru as recommended by our doctors and Pediatrician and the rest of us turned out negative including the toddler.
It was not an easy journey but it was not impossible and with mindfulness, clarity of protocols especially inside our household, and cooperation, we luckily prevented it from spreading further.
Hopefully, this strategy will get us through this pandemic.
