Just do not disinfect the seat of a bus, or the turnstile of a subway, or the keyboard of an ATM, and the Covid virus runs. Just press the button of an intercom, place your hand against the window of a tram, on the partitions of a shelter, remain involuntarily “stuck” to other people in the lift, or stop at even an arm from the neighbor of the table at the bar, and the Covid virus runs. But how risky is it to get on public transport? And is it more enjoyable to be outdoors among people or indoors between two people? Questions, these and others, to which Fausto Baldanti, virologist at the San Matteo Polyclinic in Pavia, immediately responds with a warning that we have been hearing for over a year. But which, the professor emphasizes, is still the most effective: “The now known hygiene rules of wearing a mask and washing hands – says Baldanti – must be kept at the highest level, because in public places you never know who there was”.
Public places, the most risky. Whether you decide to take a bus or a train, whether you move inside a busy or transit place, be careful what you do because Covid moves quickly. «We must maintain the utmost caution – warns Baldanti -. After all, we can expect that the virus circulates on the vehicles, because not all those who frequent them are rigorous. So it is advisable to carry a disinfectant gel in your pocket, do not touch surfaces, wear a mask. And then, as soon as possible, wash your hands ». Going out without these tools would be a bit like walking around barefoot or without pants. It is precisely in this phase, where the virus circulates in better shape than ever, which, assures the professor of San Matteo, «it becomes necessary to stress the concept of safety». So pay attention «to bars, restaurants, offices or public transport. But also to objects of public use, such as ATMs and POS keypads that are not always disinfected after each use ».
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In the hospital the threshold is lowered. Strange to say, but the circulation of Coronavirus in hospitals is slowed compared to other frequented places. Baldanti explains why: «Where attention is highest, the risk threshold is lowered. We have published two works in which, by analyzing the surfaces of the care places where patients hospitalized for Covid lived, there was no trace of the virus. This is because in the health sector there is much more caution: protection is worn, the premises are sanitized and aired frequently ».
In silence is better. Speaking of public places, then, it would be better to implement a device that many do not think about: avoid talking. An element not to be underestimated, because, recalls the virologist: «They are the droplets that we emit when we talk, cough or sneeze that contain the virus. Even if we wear a mask, observing a few minutes of silence, at least for the duration of the trip, can only help our health ». To confirm this, some studies have shown that those who use public transport run a seven times greater risk of contagion.
Mask and gel even in the lift. “The mask is also mandatory in elevators, where spaces are restricted and often shared with other people, with minimal air exchange and where the surfaces of the keyboards, especially the buttons on the floors, are touched by everyone”, continues Baldanti. It is always better, for those who can, to take the stairs.
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Vending machines and door handles. Also in the viewfinder are the vending machines for snacks and drinks, as well as the door handles. “Where it is not possible to count on a good sanitation at the top – says the virologist – our common sense comes into play that pushes us to sanitize ourselves or wash our hands immediately, every time we touch something outside”.
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And the closed places? How much do they favor the contagion? What really makes them potentially at risk, even if they are spaces within the home, scientists agree, is the temperature: it is the hot-humid environment that facilitates the spread of the virus (not necessarily heating), for this reason it is essential to ensure a good air exchange, even in the winter season.
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Better in many outdoors or in two indoors? Baldanti cuts short: «I don’t want to become manic, I’m not one of those who argue that you have to wear a mask even when you are at the restaurant table. Certainly being outdoors in many to have a barbecue is highly discouraged since we are talking about the transmission of a virus through the droplets that come out of the mouth of each of us. The same thing can be said even if there are only two, indoors, not belonging to the same family unit, and also in close contact. In that case it takes very little to get infected ».
Shoes and clothing are not vehicles for contagion. Are there still those who have doubts about how contagious shoes and clothing can be? Although the risk of contracting the virus from clothes is small, for greater attention, one could: put clothes and shoes outside for air; if dirty, proceed with a normal washing. To date, however, it has not been proven that these represent a vehicle of contagion. «The important thing is always to take care of our hygiene – concludes Baldanti -. I am referring to washing your hands once you return home, after you have handled your shopping or have touched objects from outside ». Just this.
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