With Covid-19 hitting New York so hard, it is no surprise that it attacked the Boston area so quickly. Many Bostonians have responded well with the shelter in place orders. Amidst the change to daily life, what can you do to further the cause of community health? Here are 7 ways you can promote health in the Covid-19 pandemic.
1. Maximize Your Shelter
Extra time at home gives all of us a great opportunity to dive into things that are easily put off. With each coming season, changes in temperatures and humidity levels affect the well being of a home. Structural joints expand and contract. Weatherstripping and sealants wear and break down. As these and other things occur, small openings for pest entry develop.
Utilize your extra time at home to prioritize inspecting the home inside and out. Check around plumbing, windows, doorways, and entry points for wires, pipes, conduits, etc. Stopping up developing entry points with caulk, weatherproof mesh or stuffing, or general repairs will keep pests out. Since pests are known carriers of contaminating germs, keeping pests out keeps additional contamination out. In addition, stopping entry points from being available will stop pests from carrying contaminants from the neighbor’s house to yours or visa versa.
2. Control Trash
Trash receptacles have been calibrated for our normal living behaviors. With drastic changes in living habits, trash is
prone to accumulate much quicker where it hadn’t prior. Even if trash is accumulating faster than the receptacles adequately hold, ensure that it stays properly contained. It does not take long for overflowing trash to become a breeding and feeding ground for mice, flies, ants, roaches, etc. If trash isn’t properly contained and removed, pests will carry whatever germs they pick up from the trash back into our homes.
3. Reduce Pest Populations
If you notice pest activity starting to pick up, jump ahead of it. Reducing pest populations early is less costly and avoids the problems that accompany larger pest populations. If assistance is needed in identifying culprit pests or putting together a control plan, the experts at Rove Pest Control are available to help. Rove continues to work to support public health amid the Covid-19 battle. Services are available via phone, email, or in-person visit.
4. Protect Food Storage
Even though packages look sealed up to the average person, pests have much keener sensory receptors. These sensory organs can even pick up food smells through sealed packaging. Both insects and rodents are willing to chew through some thin cardboard for a quick meal. Store food in pest-resistant containers such as thick plastic sealable totes to protect it from pests.
5. Avoid Hoarding
As people rush the stores to be the first to snatch up the last box of Cap’n Crunch or Mac and Cheese, resist the urge to follow suit. Stockpiling food is a recipe for attracting pests. Grocery stores and supply chains are continuing to operate to deliver food to available locations in a timely basis. Avoid the risk of expired food and collecting unnecessary resources. In addition to food, mice are particular fans of soft fluffy things such as toilet paper for nesting materials, so keep all resources to a reasonable limit.
6. Embrace The Soap
Though most don’t realize, antimicrobial efforts fall under the umbrella of pest control. Understanding how viruses work helps clarify why the CDC is recommending washing hands often and not recommending hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. While these types of products make us feel good, they aren’t necessarily more effective than soap. In fact, several studies have shown that soap is MORE effective when used correctly. Coronaviruses are wrapped in lipid membranes that soap is especially efficient at breaking down. With the runs in the stores attacking sanitation pieces, stick with what is known to work – embrace the soap.
7. Support The Community
Interestingly, as we separate into social distancing, community togetherness is still a possibility. Reaching out to a neighbor, supporting a local business, donating blood, donating to a food shelf, etc. will help bolster the community around you. The more we can do to help those around us, the better we all do individually.