DO IT YOURSELF Getting creative against the virus

Amid the coronavirus disease scare, people are buying alcohol, face-masks and disinfectants all too many all too fast. So what is left for those in the back of the queue?

There is still something when one gets creative, hints Provincial Health Office (PHO) health education promotion officer II Vincent Apayor at the studio Kapihan sa PIA over station DyTR.

While the P500 milliliter 70% isopropyl alcohol or the 70% ethyl alcohol costs about P70-80, and will not be easily available, hand disinfection by old school soap and water costs not even half.

There is however a trade-off for the cheap trusted soap and water hand wash.

Over the usual haphazard slap of alcohol and alcohol based sanitizers, soap and water needs that 20 seconds of rubbing and scrubbing.

“It’s simple though, wet your hands with water, put in soap, rub the palms, rub the back of the palms, nails, under the nails, rub by interlacing the fingers, and then, with a dry towel or paper tissue, wipe off the water, all in 20 seconds, or if you’re in for a party, sing Happy Birthday,” Apayor advises.

Face masks, ahh, that yet another choking issue.

The Department of Health and even the World Health Organization (WHO) talks about three kinds of equally useful masks against the potential inhaling of the virus that could take the mist into one’s respiratory tract. 

The N-95, for medical and health personnel taking care of people with a disease, the surgical masks for the ordinary individual who is getting the protection from inhaling the virus or the sick one making sure he does not infect the well and the equally sufficient cloth mask.

While there is a brewing debate on which side of the surgical mask would be placed outside, the bigger issue is, there is hardly any mask left for the poor to people to buy and similarly get protected.

A disposable surgical mask costs about P12-20 apiece, a particulate respirator (N-95) mask ranges from P30 to P60, and a cloth mask can be had at a price of between P20-P300 depending on the brands, how will the poor people get protected?

A handkerchief and four rubber bands can do, and it’s a doesn’t cost a fraction.

Simply fold a handkerchief half and then fold it yet again to make a long strip. Slip two rubber bands up the third of the entire length of the cloth and another two rubber bands on the last third. With the rubber bands on the one third and two thirds of the cloth, fold the ends of the cloth inwards to overlap. Insert the overlaps into each other to form a bond. Now, put this on, or if you need more filters, add a layer of alcohol patch. But this should be a good mask.

And when the dreaded corona virus can survive and remain in the surfaces for a long time, disinfection should be regularly done.

When commercial disinfectants costs about P200-P500 a liter, PHO suggests an ingenious solution.

Use two table spoons of chlorine powder and granules, which is about P20 into two liters of water and viola, you have a disinfectant that you can use to saturate a doormat so that anyone coming in would have an ample foot bath.

The same solution also works well in disinfecting tables, chairs, doors and panels, window panes, refrigerator doors, doorknobs and places where family members usually touch. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

GET CREATIVE. Health educator Vincent Apayor of the Provincial Health Office shared at Kapihan sa PIA ingenious solutions the financially challenged can get to be equally protected against the virus. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)

CHIC KERCHIEF. A handkerchief and two garter or rubber bands easily transform into a creative face mask when one is needing for protection and there is none available. (PIABohol/google.com)