3 Tactics in My Battle Plan to Combat COVID-19
Debbie’s Defense Plan is active and engaged on the front lines of my household.
I remember July 3, 1996, sitting in my lawn chair at the local drive-in movie theater enthralled by the film Independence Day. Aliens were surrounding our planet, ready to invade without regard to country or nationality.
The countries of the earth united as one to battle the invasion. America’s leaders, namely the president, led the fight. Lives were lost, but with the ingenuity and persistence of humanity to survive, the world was saved!
After the movie ended, we sat and watched the stars, wondering if any of them were moving? Fear of a real invasion hung in our imaginations and in the sky. My friends and I finally shook it off and laughed as we drove home. However, everyone kept looking up at the twinkling lights through the car windows.
Even though the movie was a work of fiction, it is surreal that humanity is facing an unseen threat from the outer space within our atmosphere. Instead of the earth as the target of the invasion, our bodies are the vulnerable entities. The alien is COVID-19.
Unlike the President portrayed in the movie, our leader’s lack of response has hastened the spread of the invasion. I know some people may disagree, however, the facts speak for themselves. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that between 200,000 to 1.7 million may die from COVID-19.
We are in a war! For the souls of the human race. How can we enlist in the armed services on the front lines within our homes? What type of armor should we wear? What if we have to care for an individual infected with coronavirus in our family. What are our battle tactics? I, for one, am formulating a plan of defense for my household I call Debbie’s Defense Plan (DDP).
Tactic #1
- No handshaking. Period.
- Homemade liquid hand soap. For those of us who are homebound and cannot get to the store when the hand soap runs out can use 2 common household ingredients. I combine 1/3 part dishwashing liquid (not dishwasher liquid) and 2/3 parts alcohol. If the clear alcohol is not available, you can use the medicated or wintergreen alcohol solution.
- Make everyone who enters your house wash their hands before they touch anything or anyone.
- Surface sanitization. Assign someone in the household doorknob duty. For example, my granddaughter has a sanitize station set up with wipes and alcohol. She sanitizes the doorknobs twice a day and when anyone enters our domain.
Tactic #2
Physical armor. My granddaughter learned how to make homemade masks at camp last summer. Take one bandana, fold in half longways, fold again, place 2 stretchy ponytail holders about 4 inches from each end, fold the ends over, position on your face with ponytail holders over your ears, adjust as needed. See the picture below.
Tactic #3
- If you have a COVID-19 patient in your household, isolate the ill person in a room such as a bedroom, guest room, or basement. Designate one person to give care. Thoroughly clean the bathroom after each use.
- Caring for the patient. Be attentive to fluid intake and fever levels. Make sure they get plenty of rest. If you feel they become sicker than your ability to care for them, call 911.
- Protecting the caregiver. Wear a mask and gloves. Wash your hands every time you leave the isolation room. Disinfect shared items and high-touch areas every day.
- Open the curtains or windows to let the sunshine and fresh air in. This does wonders to lift the spirit.
We are in the fight of our lives! We have to hold down the fort and enlist friends, roommates, family members in this war against COVID-19. Everyone has a part to play. The kids can be on guard duty and the older folks can delegate and oversee assignments. I happen to be the general.
What is your plan?
- This article does not intend to provide diagnosis, prognosis, or set in stone recommendations. These are suggestions only. Consult the CDC for more information here.*
Let me send you my 4-Step Action Plan to create your plan of defense during the COVID-19 crisis!
Debbie Walker is a great-grandmother, blogger, and writer with a BA in Psychology. Her vision is to help others live the life they aspire to live…one word at a time. Stay in touch with her at middlepause51@gmail.com
