CDC: Keep Your Windows Cracked While in Your Car
With the COVID-19 pandemic still affecting people around the world, life as we know it has changed drastically. Regular, everyday activities aren’t as routine or as simple as they once were. Even driving seems confusing. There are so many questions on how to protect your health before, during, and after you get behind the wheel. Are gloves necessary? When do you take your mask off? How do you properly sanitize your cabin? No matter the safeguards you put into place and the measures you take to prioritize your health, there is one thing that can negate your efforts — leaving your windows rolled up.
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According to the CDC, you’ll want to improve ventilation in the vehicle whether you’re the driver or passenger.
“Ask the driver to improve the ventilation in the vehicle if possible — for example, by opening the windows or setting the air ventilation/air conditioning on non-recirculation mode,” recommends the CDC.
It does seem somewhat contradictory to open your windows since the coronavirus is an easily transmittable airborne virus, notes Best Life writer Charlie Durr, but increasing the amount of fresh air around you may help minimize your exposure risk to the virus. The circulating air may help prevent the buildup of contaminants from infecting you.
Another way you can help protect yourself when you’re on the road is to keep your distance. The CDC recommends limiting the number of passengers and to avoid riding in a car with passengers who aren’t part of your household.
Hand sanitizer that boasts a minimum of 60 percent alcohol should be applied to your hands when you exit your vehicle, according to the CDC. As soon as you get to where you going, it’s time to wash your hands with soap and water. Hand washing that lasts at least 20 seconds is recommended by the CDC.
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Keeping your car clean and disinfected is important as well. Here are some tips on how to properly sanitize your vehicle to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.