What to do if someone in your household gets Covid
, by AussiePharmaDirect, 3 min reading time
Australia is heading into its 3rd Omicron wave with warnings the new variant is more infectious than measles. Learn how to protect yourself should someone in your household contract covid.
Covid is hitting its straps again and gaining the upper hand with a spike of infections and re-infections across the country.
As Australia heads into its third Omicron wave, health experts have warned that the BA. 4 and BA.5 variants are as infectious as the measles.
To put it into perspective, below is a summary of the basic reproduction number (Ro) of the various variants. The Ro is the average number of people an initial case infects others with no immunity from either vaccines or previous infection.
The original Wuhan strain has a Ro of 3.3; Delta: 5.1, Omicron BA.1: 9.5, BA.2: 13.3, BA.4/5: 18.6.
These alarming figures reveal just how infectious the BA.4/5 variants are.
So, what can you do to protect yourself and your loved ones?
While the government hasn’t mandated face masks (yet), we are being encouraged to reassert the Covid protocols we are all familiar with, such as isolation of infected people, face masks, keeping up to date with vaccinations, maintaining social distance (especially when indoors), using hand sanitiser and wiping down surfaces.
And if you are going to wear a mask, make sure it’s not a cloth or surgical one. To provide proper protection, you need a P2 or N95 respirator.
The Australian manufactured AMD P2 /N95 Nano-Tech respirator offers 99.66% particle filtration efficiency and 99.92% bacterial filtration efficiency and it is the only one utilising nano-fibre technology for superior protection, breathability and comfort.
Another recommended key addition to your first aid kit is ViroCLEAR, an all-Australian anti-microbial sanitiser. ViroCLEAR is available in three formulations: a surface disinfectant, a fogger, and a hand sanitiser.
The hospital grade surface disinfectant is ARTG listed and laboratory proven to kill Covid, SARS and Rhinovirus (the main culprit behind the common cold) within 90 seconds, along with 99.99% of germs and bacteria.
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of spraying the surface disinfectant on all high touch areas of the house such as light switches, handles, keyboards, the TV remote, toilets and mobile phones.
The fogger is ideal to use in any indoor or enclosed space that you want to quickly sanitise. Working much like a cockroach bomb, it dispenses a mist of anti-microbial sanitiser across an area of up to 40sqm. It’s also ideal to use in the family car which may have been contaminated by a sick family member.
The hand sanitiser is perfect for anyone who suffers from sensitive skin, as the plant based solution, powered by chamomile and native lemon bush, is free of alcohol and gentle on hands, yet still capable of killing 99.99% of germs and bacteria.
And don’t forget about the air you breathe. Covid is airborne, so you also need to clean the air, especially if someone in the house has contracted Covid.
Australian made InovaAir Purifiers offer all the most important elements you need to protect you from airborne contaminants such as viruses (including Covid), bacteria, dust, smoke, allergens and chemical pollutants.
The key thing to look for in an air purifier is the filtration system, and foremost is the inclusion of an H13 medical-grade HEPA filter. All InovaAir Purifiers include a certified medical-grade H13 HEPA filter that filters 99.99% @ 0.3 microns. The addition of an activated carbon filter adds another layer of protection by trapping dust, lint, mould spores, pet hair and volatile organic compounds.
Undertaking all these protocols will give you the best chance of side stepping Covid and the tools to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy.
Written by Jenny Westdorp