DON’T TAKE COVID HOME

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM COVID-19

• Wear scrubs or uniform with washable, impermeable shoes

• Don’t wear jewellery
AT WORK

• Wear PPE as per current guidance

• Wash your hands frequently
• Avoid touching your face
• Eat and drink in a separate staff rest area

• Wipe all belongings: phones, ID badges, glasses, pens, stethoscope

• Put them in a separate, ideally washable or wipe clean bag for
END OF THE SHIFT

work items
• Change out of scrubs and place in a washable or disposable
waterproof bag for taking home. If you have use of hospital
laundry even better!
• Wash hands. If possible, shower before leaving work.

• Leave shoes and work bag at entrance (if not washing them)
•
ARRIVING HOME

Put your clothes straight in the washing machine so you

don’t have to touch them again. Wash at 60°C with
detergent (40°C is also likely to inactivate the virus)
• Wash your hands with soap and water
• Shower and wash hair if not done at work

• Tell yourself you did an awesome job and give yourself a high five
WINDING DOWN

• ‘Allow’ yourself limited covid-19 or social media time

• Relax: have something healthy to eat, read a book, do a craft or an
online exercise class, talk to friends and family over
Zoom/Skype/Facetime etc. Rest. Do nothing.

References:
1. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Public Health Wales (PHW), Public Health Agency (PHA) Northern Ireland, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and Public Health England. Covid-19: Guidance for
infection prevention and control in healthcare settings. Version 1.0. (March 2020)
2. van Doremalen et al. Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1. N Engl J Med. 2020;10.1056/NEJMc2004973. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2004973
3. Cheng et al. Escalating infection control response to the rapidly evolving epidemiology of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to SARS-CoV-2 in Hong Kong. Infection Control &
Hospital Epidemiology, 1-23. Doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.5
4. Rabenau et al. Stability and inactivation of SARS coronavirus. Medical Microbiology and Immunology volume 194, pages1–6(2005)
5. Kampf et al. Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents. Journal of Hospital Infection, Volume 104, Issue 3, 246 – 251
6. WHO Covid-19 Technical Data: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance (accessed 26 March 2020)
7. Intensive Care Society Wellbeing Resource Library: https://www.ics.ac.uk/ICS/Education/Wellbeing/ICS/Wellbeing.aspx?hkey=92348f51-a875-4d87-8ae4-245707878a5c

Compiled March 2020. Dr H Law, Dr S Law. Correspondence: hannah.law@nhs.net