DESPERATE times demand desperate measures especially with the Covid-19 pandemic. All outdoor nonessential activities and movements have been strictly forbidden and people are asked to work from home as much as possible. Living behind doors is definitely not usual and it is also unclear how long this situation will prevail. Therefore, one should rearrange their home décor in view of safety precautions on the following lines:

1) Waste disposal. Personal waste and disposable cleaning cloths must be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags. Don’t throw used tissues in your bedroom dust bins or in sitting and living portion in your home. If possible keep dustbins out of bedrooms. Isolate the laundry set-up in your house.

2) Entrance sanitisation: Place portable wash basins at the main entrance of your house. If you live in an apartment install a hand sanitiser on the wall or keep sanitiser bottles alongside the door.

3) Sunlight: Ultraviolet light can be a really powerful disinfectant and the sun is the biggest source of UVL. Therefore, open your windows and curtains to let direct sunlight in. This will help rapidly diminish the infectivity of viruses on surfaces.

4) Clean flooring: Remove carpets and rugs from floor. Flooring, an integral segment of your home, needs to be cleaned regularly. Research shows the coronavirus can last between three hours to three days on surfaces, depending on the material. Regular cleaning is vital. Household products, like detergents, phenyl and bleach are very effective in getting rid of virus on surfaces.

5) Indoor plantation: Plants have a soothing effect on the atmosphere you live in. More important, indoor plants are vital to remove pollutants from the atmosphere and purify the air. Plants like rubber fig, areca palm, peace lily, aloe vera etc. are recommended in this regard.

M. Wasim
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2020