If we all try to imagine that we might be carrying the virus and do everything we can to avoid passing it on, then we can reduce the risk for everyone.
The next page shows how much you have been protecting yourself UP TO NOW, and helps you make a plan to stop the virus.
We asked people to tell us about their experiences of using Germ Defence to protect themselves. Below are some of their stories.
"When I started to feel unwell, I went into the spare room. We agreed with my family that I would stay there for 7 days. I wanted to make sure they didn't get it. I did see them a bit, but we always stayed 2 metres apart.
It was hard, but I knew I was protecting them. After I had used the kitchen or bathroom, I used gloves and cleaned everything I had touched with surface cleaner. This was quite hard to do when I felt unwell. But I kept it up, knowing it was best for my family.
I ate food in my room, drank lots of water and slept. After 5 days I started to feel better. After 7 days, I was back to myself, and came out of the spare room and rejoined the family. They waited 7 days, but didn't get any symptoms, which felt great."
"I am a 78 year old married man and my wife is my carer. I am at increased risk if I get coronavirus as I have fifth stage kidney failure, , which means I have to go to a dialysis centre three times a week. In the ambulance which takes me to and fro, and during the four hours of dialysis I wear a mask, glasses and gloves. I don’t know whether they stop me giving or receiving the virus, but they do remind me not to rub my eyes, poke my nose (even at 78 there is still the temptation) and touch my mouth.
At home we have separate bedrooms and bathrooms which helps to stop us sharing any germs we might have. The oddest thing about it all is that my wife, who is 80 and as fit as a fiddle, is confined to the house and garden. But me, who is extremely vulnerable get to ride out and back three times a week for my dialysis, and chat to other people!
My wife keeps the house immaculate, disinfects door knobs, doorbell, phones, iPads and anything touched by us or delivery people. We also store everything delivered in the shed for 3 days, and wash our hands carefully after touching it. Fresh food gets washed and put on a separate shelf in the fridge for 3 days as well. Post is left for several hours and we wash our hands after opening it. The house gets a thorough airing daily, all windows open for as long as possible.
After I had an unexpected six hours in A&E I isolated for a week as much as possible. We washed our hands before handling meal trays and every time we had indirect contact. Sandy was busy with the anti bac spray more than ever.
It’s a funny old world.”
Click on the video below to watch or you can read the transcript below the video
"I have been staying at my mums since the beginning of the lockdown. There are just the two of us in the house and my mum is 81, so we have had to make a few changes in the way we live in order to keep her safe. At the moment I do the shopping on my way home from work so that she doesn't have to go to the supermarket. I work in a hospital so I know I am more likely to pick up the virus. When I get back from work, I leave my coat in my car and my shoes outside the front door. I put my work clothes straight in to the washing machine. If I can't wash them straight away, I put them into a plastic bag. Then I have a shower and wash my hair. I stay in my room as much as possible.
My mum has the front room and her bedroom. We use the kitchen separately. My mum cooks first and then eats in the front room, and I eat in the kitchen. We are also able to use different bathrooms. After I’ve washed up I put hot water and disinfectant in a bowl and wipe down the surfaces and everything I might have touched, for example the kettle handle, fridge door, microwave buttons and the light switches. We do spend some time together at a safe distance in the garden. Just sitting and having a cup of tea or doing some gardening. It's sometimes difficult, but it feels worth the effort to make sure my mum stays well. We have gotten used to these changes after a few weeks and now it’s now much easier than it used to be."
“Our family has been very careful during lockdown to protect my 12 year old daughter, who is recovering from an illness. She is still very tired and weak and we worried that she might be at increased risk if she caught the Coronavirus. My husband works away for 3 weeks at a time so we decided that when he came back home he would self-isolate for 7 days each time. Even though he had no symptoms, we thought this was safest just in case he had the virus and didn’t know it.
He stayed in a room with the door closed and opened the window as much as possible. When he left the room, he phoned to check that we were all out the way and he used hand gel first. I left his meals outside his room and when he finished, I collected the plates and washed them straight away. I also washed my hands at the same time.
We spent some time together in the garden. We put a rope on the grass to mark out 2 metres distance and he had a chair in his area that only he could use. I think this made it easier for us all to manage.
To help us stay safe, I have made my own face mask to wear from patterns on the internet. I feel a bit self-conscious wearing it, but it reminds me not to touch my face and that things are different right now. I also think it helps remind other people as I have seen them check the distance between us when they see me”.
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