The spreading coronavirus infection has affected the daily lives of most people on the planet. Unfortunately, the current situation in the Czech Republic and neighboring countries is not leaving many residents completely calm. To prevent panic and anxiety from unnecessarily settling into your living room, focus your attention on meaningful prevention. It will give you a good feeling and keep your mind at ease. There are still many ways you can defend yourself against the insidious coronavirus.
Coronavirus from A to Z
Articles on what the coronavirus actually is, how it spreads, and what the symptoms of the disease it causes are, are as common as mushrooms after rain in the press and on the internet. But how to stay informed and prepared? The most basic facts about the coronavirus are briefly and concisely described in 2 minutes by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic in their official video.
The best defense is prevention
A 100% effective and reliable cure for the new, rapidly mutating coronavirus does not yet exist. Although scientists around the world are working hard to develop one through research and testing, it will likely take some time. Therefore, the only defense against the coronavirus remains supporting your own immunity and following preventive measures, which epidemiologists consider absolutely crucial.
Now more than ever, we should pay attention to hygiene, especially thorough and regular hand washing. When shopping and using public transport, it is best to use disposable protective gloves. If you are away from home and do not have the option to wash your hands under water as needed, be sure to carry a disinfectant gel with you. In case you have run out and it is no longer available in drugstores, you can make it at home according to the official guide of the World Health Organization (WHO).
TIP: Bottle sets help with dosing and safely storing disinfectant gel or soap for all family members.
Try not to travel at all. If you must go to work, for example, minimize your presence in public spaces and limit contact with other people. If you do not have acute health problems, do not visit doctors or other healthcare facilities. Consideration for yourself and others is in order, which is why it is essential to also follow the instructions of the Government of the Czech Republic and currently cover your mouth and nose in public places with a mask or other protective equipment.
For your health and the health of others
A lot of information and recommendations are pouring in from all sides on how to behave in the current situation, what to do, and what not to do. However, it is necessary to put advice and tips into practice. So, what can you realistically do for your health and how to actively defend against the coronavirus?
Hand in hand
Washing hands is the foundation. When moving outside the home, it pays to have disinfectant gel, or hand disinfectant wipes and a pack of disposable tissues, quickly at hand. And ideally without touching your backpack and searching for things in inner pockets. Waist bags, neck pouches, and travel wallets and pouches, which are more discreet and less bulky versions of waist bags, will help with this task. They are not only easily accessible and right at hand, but their size is often ideal so they do not get in the way while holding everything needed for urgent hygiene.
Thanks to the internal organization of many of them, you usually have 2 pockets available. Put the aforementioned items in the first, and separate keys, mobile, wallet in the second – i.e., the highest-risk items that need to be constantly disinfected during daily use. The less contact they have with other things, the better.
Separate pouches are also practical – an accessory case for clearly separating hygiene items from cosmetic ones or other small items that everyone carries every day, especially ladies in their handbags. Again, the risk of touching and fishing for items that will not be freely accessible in a backpack or handbag is minimized. Easy maintenance is also a matter of course. Durable materials can withstand wiping with disinfectant, and some models can be machine washed.
TIP: Keep cash in your wallet and pay contactlessly as much as possible. You won't have to touch coins and banknotes, which are also risky as a source of infection. Secrid mini wallets will serve for the safe storage and carrying of your payment cards and essential documents.
For safer shopping
So you don't have to use already touched (even if disinfected) shopping carts and baskets, get your own shopping trolley. A lightweight aluminum frame will safely carry at least the same load as shopping bags. Comfortable and safe transport of groceries including fruits and vegetables or toiletries from the store to home is guaranteed whether carrying by hand, driving, using public transport, or cycling. Additionally, a practical lid can be purchased for the basket so that the contents are even more protected from external influences. You can also choose a nice motif that catches your eye, which will also be a psychological boost.
If food delivery services are busy, you won't completely avoid personal shopping. But before you head to the store, plan your menu! According to the list, you will then buy everything necessary for a few days ahead at once, and all the faster. Less frequent shopping will save you time, which you can spend with your loved ones or on hobbies. And it will benefit your psyche; you will have everything you need at home, with less chance of getting infected while out on another trip. And if you plan to help with shopping for relatives or seniors, transport of heavier shopping will be made easier by trolley bags and rolling backpacks. With a backpack, you will carry the shopping up stairs and to higher floors of houses without an elevator much better.
ATTENTION! Hygienists recommend thoroughly washing purchased fruits and vegetables brought home with soap and water in case there is infection present on their surface.
Since the virus's ability to survive for several days on various materials is proven, disinfection of packaging in which food or a courier shipment is delivered to you is also absolutely essential. Wipe the packaging with a disinfectant, then immediately remove and throw it away. If you order packaged items, disinfect them after taking them out of the packaging as well. The infection lasts longest on cardboard and plastic. Subsequently, thoroughly wash or disinfect your hands; under no circumstances should you touch your face during handling.
Water – the basis of life
Hydration is essential in preventing and treating any illness. So, when staying at home or at work, don't forget to maintain a drinking regimen! Considering the current situation, a drinking bottle might be a suitable alternative for increasing your protection. It has a number of advantages:
- Easy maintenance, which you guarantee yourself – the bottle can be washed with hot water (some even in the dishwasher), or disinfected from the outside; plastic can handle it.
- BPA free – the bottles are made of phthalate-free plastic.
- You don't share dishes with others, e.g., at work, where you don't know if it is sufficiently washed.
- A bottle with a lid will help keep the contents protected from external influences.
- You can drink water or tea anytime and anywhere, at home and on the go, and you know what amount of fluids you have actually consumed.
- Nalgene On the fly and On the go bottles can be opened with just one hand; you don't have to touch them unnecessarily.
- A reusable bottle with tap water will lighten your shopping and replace bottled water in plastic.
- Various volumes and shapes for comfortable carrying in a handbag, bag, or backpack. There are also special kids' bottles or bike bottles available.
Pedal away
You can kill two birds with one stone by cycling. Even with a mask on your mouth and nose, you will avoid public transport and staying in an enclosed space with other passengers on your way to work, where it is difficult to maintain the minimum recommended distance. In times of movement restrictions and sedentary jobs, thanks to active movement in the fresh air, you will also stay in shape and support your immunity. Warmer weather is ideal for cycling, and currently, there is less traffic even in larger cities.
When cycling, don't forget your own safety. Always have a helmet on your head, and a front light and rear blinker on your bike. If you are heading out at dusk, also think about mandatory reflective elements or vests for moving on the road between municipalities.
Cycling is made easier by cycling backpacks and messenger or courier shoulder bags, which sit better on your back while cycling and have compartments for a laptop. Bike bags (including frame bags) will provide storage space for shopping on the way home from work and its stable transport all the way home. A bike is an ideal means of transport as it carries more, saves your back, and you will get home faster without much effort than on foot and without using a riskier bus or tram. Plus, you don't have to compromise on shopping. Fruits and vegetables with vitamins for the whole family are the foundation now.
Practical bike accessories as part of prevention are also saddlebags, in which you can store not only tools for quick puncture repair but also disinfectant gels or wipes for immediate use, e.g., after shopping or when locking up at bike racks. When riding, it pays to have a small first aid kit in reserve.
Health is worth it
It is necessary to actively defend against the coronavirus. To support you in the fight, we have a 10% discount coupon for you. You can use the code JARO10 in the e-shop on everything until April 30, 2020.
Although our store is still closed due to measures related to the coronavirus, Bagalio remains with you! We ship goods every day, and orders over 1000 CZK include free shipping. By arrangement, it is now possible to pick up an order at our central warehouse in Brno.
We believe that by joining forces, we can handle the situation. On behalf of the entire Bagalio store team, we wish you good health and keep our fingers crossed that our joint fight against the coronavirus is successful!
Do you have questions about products? Not sure about your choice? Contact us by email, phone, or perhaps on FB; we are happy to help you! Everything important about how to choose exactly what you need can also be found in our advice center. We still have product reviews for you that we have tested ourselves.
And if you have a long moment at home, you can read travel articles and interviews in the Destinations and Travel section or gather trip tips. If you are more focused on practice, then check out the How-to section, where a lot of interesting facts and advice await you, not just from the world of luggage and travel.
Photo sources: reisenthel.com, pixabay.com, vaude.com, ortlieb.com, secrid.com
Videos from websites: MZČR (coronavirus), nalgene.com (washing bottles in the dishwasher), and YT channel Zniev (guide for making disinfectant)
