With COVID-19 vaccines currently in distribution, there is light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic. However, there are a few new habits that we’ve all learned that we would be wise to incorporate into our lives moving forward.
Hand sanitizer everywhere
Just think of all the disgusting surfaces we touch every day like grocery carts, door handles, and gas pump nozzles. It’s been great to have a chance to clean your hands quickly after each use. I say let’s keep it.
Fist bumps for the win
I’ve never enjoyed shaking hands—especially with random people in my neighborhood or during awkward meetings with people I’ll never see again. A handshake at a job interview? Yeah, that makes sense and so do other more formal encounters. But let’s stop the day-to-day handshakes. I propose that the fist bump become the new standard greeting. Even before COVID-19, it was proven that fist bumps spread less germs than handshakes.
Don’t throw away that mask
Last — and most important—we should wear masks in public when we are sick. When I lived in Asia 10 years ago, I would often see people on the train, at the store, or at the airport wearing a mask when they were ill. At the time I thought it was so bizarre. Only now do I see the wisdom, kindness, and civility in this practice. I’m not saying everyone should mask up for flu season. All I’m saying is no matter what time of year it is, wear a mask for the first couple days when you’re contagious. Help stop the spread of germs and help eliminate a few of the thousands of deaths that happen every year from airborne diseases. That should be a habit we can all live with.
Taylor Crane, Bountiful