Interestingly, the top search results for hygienic behavior are all about bees. Perhaps, we can learn a thing or two from the bees.
Bees with the trait are able to detect, uncap, and remove infected pupae before they become infectious, slowing the spread of disease and the population growth of the mite. https://beeinformed.org/2011/07/25/hygienic-behavior/
Hopefully in a few months, the results will all be about how we keep ourselves and the community clean and healthy; how we can stop the next pandemic on its track. Aside from washing hands and physical distancing, here are a few things I have heard and observed in the last few weeks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sanitize the grocery, deliveries, takeouts before putting away or bringing them into the house. While COVID-19 is not a foodborne virus, the COVID-19 virus can still remain active on the surface of the packaging for a few hours.
Take off the shoes before entering the house. This practice is common in Asian households. When I first came to the U.S. I was a bit shocked to see people wearing their street shoes straight into the house, especially one with carpets. Glad to see this is catching on during this time. Hopefully it will stick and become a culture norm.
Wear mask in public places. Since the SARS outbreak in 2003, it’s common practice to wear masks in public places in Taiwan, especially in crowed places like on the transit systems. People may have the misconception that the mask is there to protect yourself from sickness. In fact it is there to protect others from getting infected.