Category: Coronavirus

CNN has an excellent, easy-to-follow article providing instructions on making your own face mask.

How to Make Your Own Face Mask

CDC recommends such actions as:

• Stay home unless absolutely necessary (e.g. medical care)
• Avoid being around other members of your household
• Wear a face mask when necessary to be around others
• Wash/disinfect hands
• Cover your cough

information from CDC.gov

Please visit “What to Do If You Are Sick” for further information.

It is wise to send a healthy family member to run any necessary errands.

How do we stay healthy?

Here are some basics:

• Wash hands after handling anything that another person has touched. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Do not touch food unless you have thoroughly washed your hands.
• Keep a distance away from anyone with whom you are conversing.
• Avoid touching public surfaces (doorhandles, etc.) if at all possible. (in public restroom, use paper towel to open door when exiting)

The following are a few of the many helpful health websites.

CDC.gov

Harvard Health Publishing (Harvard Medical School) – very helpful information

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine

Ah, yes, the ongoing debate. Some health organizations and governments say yes; while others say no.

Who is right?

I personally choose to wear a face mask. I would rather be overly cautious, preferring to have just one more factor to lower my chance of contracting such a serious disease.

It is my choice. I have the freedom to choose what I feel best for myself as well as my family. (If I get sick, they will also most likely catch it.)

BBC news has a good article summing up current thoughts on face masks.

The following are great resources available for those needing to work virtually from home.

Online apps for meeting virtually with clients:

Google Duo

One of the easiest

This is a go-to app for meeting with those who are not tech-savy.

Your client installs the app, you call them via Google Duo using their phone number, and you are connected.

Very easy. Typically works quite well.

Google Duo

Zoom

I realize Zoom has received a lot of publicity recently.

If you are discussing bank accounts and personal patient information, I recommend trying Webex. (However, I don’t think many of you fall in the category of needing high security.)

There are a lot of security features that can be added (and many are already default features) that prevent the issues discussed in news articles.

Skype

Skype has been around a long time.

Some find it very easy to use and is their go-to app.

I personally find the above two apps easier to use, but Skype does have its niche.

Visit Skype.

FaceTime

(iOS operating systems only)

For those who have iOS operating systems, FaceTime is an easy way to connect. (both you and the client need to have iOS devices)

Google Meet

For teachers:

Webex App for working from home

Further info

One of the suggestions from “Working from Home? 8 Ways to Boost Your Internet Speed” is to do demanding downloads/ uploads/ video conference calls even a few minutes away from peak times. (e.g. – start the conference at 9:15 instead of 9:00AM)