Why Home Health Care Is Best During The Coronavirus Outbreak

For many people, especially the elderly, going to the doctor's or nurse's office for medical treatments and check-ups is part of regular routine. While these offices are still open during the coronavirus pandemic due to their qualifying as essential businesses, that doesn't necessarily mean that going outside right now is the best idea for these vulnerable groups of people. Until the situation improves, it may be a good time to consider having a health worker come to you or your loved one.

Less Exposure to People

The coronavirus is transferred from person to person via respiratory droplets, like the kind produced by sneezing and coughing. So the fewer people you encounter, the better.

Of course, having a home health worker come to your place means that at least one person will be around. However, this is a far cry better than going to a hospital or doctor's office right now. In a doctor's office, you can often expect to be around other patients while waiting. Additionally, there will be potentially dozens of medical staff members around.

Of course, medical professionals are taking steps to help ensure that they don't make their patients sick. But unfortunately, the coronavirus sometimes develops with no symptoms, which means that even a well-intentioned office of medical workers could potentially make you sick.

By having a single medical worker come to your home, you can dramatically reduce your risk of being exposed to someone who is infected.

No Dangerous Surfaces

Thankfully, the coronavirus isn't airborne. But even if you were to go to a medical office with next to no people around, you still might not be safe.

Unfortunately, it's been discovered that the coronavirus can potentially last for days on several types of surfaces. This is a huge difference when compared to many other viruses that perish after just a few hours of exposure to the air without a host to infect.

The reason this is a risk is because you have no way of knowing who's been in a medical office and whether or not they've been ill. All it takes is for a sick person to rub their nose and then touch furniture or cough, wipe their mouth, and then grab a door handle to potentially pass the coronavirus on to you. While hand washing and being careful to avoid touching your face can help to prevent the spread, it's not always practical to scrub your hands after touching every single surface, and many people touch their faces without thinking about it.

In comparison, if you hire a home health worker, you won't be at risk of leftover dangers. Your medical worker will also wear gloves and a mask before they ever come into contact with you, dramatically cutting down on the risk of infecting you with anything.

For more information on the benefits of home health care, talk to a provider in your area.

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