Have you noticed, if you live on streets with terraced houses, that there are shoes left outside of some? I think these belong to medics and those who know that the virus can survive on materials such as the rubber soles of shoes for three to five days!
A study recently done in China found evidence of Covid19 virus on most of medics’ footwear.
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0885_article#suggestedcitation
However, there is no need to panic. Whilst these tips may sound obvious, it is surprising how many people still wear the same shoes outside and then inside their home, do not disinfect their hands after tying their shoe laces or taking shoes off, and keep their shoes within easy reach of children, even now, amidst the pandemic!
Here is what to do. I am not an epidemiologist or a medic – all these tips are in the public domain as provided by medical professionals. I have simply collected them for you and of course, both heed the advice myself as well as implement to the best of my ability when cleaning our client’s premises.
- Have shoes for outside and inside. When arriving home, take your shoes off and leave them either outside the door, if possible, or inside but in a space where small children will not be able to touch them. Disinfect the soles, when practical.
- Wash your hands thoroughly or disinfect them with sanitiser gel every time you touch your shoes for any reason.
- Do not take the shoes you wore outside and place them near your other pairs (into shoe racks or shoe cabinets) without firstly disinfecting them. As there is no guarantee that you will manage to disinfect them so effectively as to kill any virus that might be present, it might be a good idea to have pairs that are designated specifically for outdoor use ONLY and are always kept separate.
Stay safe and well, take your shoes off and put your feet up.